


Insatiable

by popitdontdropit



Series: Insatiable [1]
Category: Team Fortress 2
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Vampire, Anal Sex, Angst, Animal Instincts, Attempt at Humor, Bioluminescence, Blood Drinking, Body Dysphoria, Dom/sub Undertones, Drama, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, Everyone's a bit OOC sorry, Eye Trauma, Fantasy elements, Feelings, Friendship, Human/Monster Romance, Human/Monster Sex, Lust, M/M, Masturbation, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Mind Control, Mind Manipulation, Monster Angst, Monsters, Porn With Plot, Porn with Feelings, Praise Kink, Sexual Fantasy, Slow Burn, Strangers to Lovers, Tentacle Dick, Tentacle Sex, Tentacles, Teratophilia, Vampire Bites, Vampire Hunter Sniper, Vampire Hunters, Vampire Medic, Vampires, Vampires are actually monsters, We love friendship here, heat - Freeform, only very briefly though and temporary so dw xx
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-25
Updated: 2021-02-13
Packaged: 2021-03-04 06:26:48
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 17
Words: 77,448
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24859117
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/popitdontdropit/pseuds/popitdontdropit
Summary: Robin is a vampire hunter and while his job is monotonous and simple most of the time, he encounters a vampire that destroys the mundane reality he has come to know.
Relationships: Medic/Sniper (Team Fortress 2), Scout & Sniper (Team Fortress 2)
Series: Insatiable [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2107860
Comments: 133
Kudos: 183





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey its me from many months after this was ''finished''. At the time of finishing this I knew I was unhappy with it but I put it up anyway because I was tired of it. With some time away from this, my desire to fix it has only grown. And so, here I am with a new and improved version. I feel a lot better about this.  
> As always, constructive criticism is welcome <3  
>    
> Just some convention stuff real quick before you start reading.  
> *** indicates a timeskip.  
> ~***~ will indicate a change in POV

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> IT'S BACK BBY!
> 
> It's a fresh start and I really hope you guys like it <3 <3  
> I'm personally a lot happier with this sort of setup/what I have planned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As I promised, I am fixing this mess of a fic. If you're new to the fic, the paragraph is irrelevant lol.
> 
> Honestly, I could not get through a reread of the first version. To me, it just screamed burnout and confusion and I couldn't get through it. It wasn't representative of what i'm capable of and I'm sorry for putting out an incomplete product. I've taken it upon myself to rewrite it completely with a newer and better plotline (the other one barely had a plot.) I've also decided to make the characters more fleshed out and more fun. I intend to do more with the fantasy elements and have some more interesting ideas. 
> 
> No more telling and not showing from me :) 
> 
> Anyways, I hope you guys like this.

Arriving was not so different to the car ride – quiet and solemn. The whole house was seemingly abandoned, with the exception of the family cat of course. A furry tail brushed past his legs as the cat trotted by. He frowned at the sight of photos of family and the family pet. A lone painting stood in the dining area, of an oversized koi in a small pond. His eyes followed the trail of carnage at his feet until he found what was once a woman in the lounge. She was a deathly shade of white, with two distinct bite marks on the neck. She had been drained of all her blood. It had been sucked away by a greedy monster, a leech, a horrible creature of the night or whatever else he wanted to call them.

‘’Don’t look at ‘em too long, Jeremy.’’ He warned, cautious of the young man’s mental health. He had fallen victim to the horrors of his work before and it was never pretty.

The fireplace was still lit and lights were on as if life was still ongoing here. He frowned at the sight of a cup of coffee at the table. The last thing she had ever tasted, probably. Robin took a deep breath in front of the staircase.

He turned to Jeremy, who was busy fiddling with his camera. ‘’It’s probably upstairs. We’re gonna take it real slow. We don’t want it ta get aggro. Ya ready?’’ He whispered, clutching his sniper rifle. He wouldn’t need the scope. 

‘’Wouldn’t it be better just to run in there and blap ‘em with our guns?’’ Jeremy was full of energy, as always. Unable to keep still, even when he was supposed to be quiet. He was rattling his camera and tampering with the settings.

‘’Nah, we don’t know how many there are. We don’t wanna get bit.’’

‘’Okay, _mom._ ’’ He whispered back.

Robin reassured the young man with a pat on the shoulder. He held up a finger in a shushing motion and slowly, ascended the steps, one by one. He was light on his feet, to avoid any creaks or whines from the wood under him. He reached the top and felt himself turn cold all over. The fiend in question was in the corner, huddled in a ball, clutching its knees and rocking back and forth, muttering under its breath. Listening closer, he heard a single phrase, over and over again. He heard it so many times that it became meaningless.

‘’I’m sorry.’’

Robin locked up completely, losing the key to his own body as he processed what he was seeing. It was _remorse_. This monster was repenting for what it had done. Apologising to the one it had killed, or maybe God. But empty apologies meant nothing when the damage had been done. It didn't deserve his pity or anyone's for that matter.

Any semblance of hesitation dissolved. Robin knew the monster before him couldn’t change. That was an impossibility. He raised his rifle, pulled the trigger and it looked up at the last second. He missed. In an instant, sorrow became hatred and anger. It bared its fangs with a hiss before lunging at him. He was pinned as clawed hands directed his head to the ceiling, forcing him to stare into the lights. He blinked rapidly, trying to fight the fiend off with a blind hand to no avail. Jeremy squealed and ran over, grabbing the thing by the collar, trying to rip it off with all his might.

He wasn’t going to be bitten today. No way in hell. He grabbed his knife from his pocket, fumbled with the handle then plunged it into the creature’s neck with everything he had. Black blood splattered all over his face, but he didn’t care. He shoved the creature away and scrambled for safety. It gurgled and choked as blood spilled from its open jugular and eventually, it fell to the ground.

‘’The boss better pay us good for this one.’’ Robin said, spitting out some of the bitter blood that had leaked into his mouth. ‘’Its fuckin’ disgustin’.’’

‘’Well, you know them. Always goin’ on about us bein’ valued members of the company and then paying us jack shit as a reward.’’ Jeremy said and snapped a photo for later documentation.

‘’Hmph, there’d probably be less bloodsuckers if they paid their damn hunters better, eh?’’ He scoffed, shaking his head with a smile on his lips.

*******

Robin went into the office with Jeremy. He never felt good when he stepped through the cheap, soulless door and into an equally soulless building. It looked more like a prison that an office space, with each desk and computer being walled off as if they were cellmates. Documentation was the worst part of his job, as it was the slowest, most tedious part. He had to write about the numbers he killed, how many vampires escaped and the location. Getting the photographs from Jeremy was akin to getting blood out of a stone. He tended to forget or leave it to the last minute unless prompted over and over again.

On the way to his desk, he smiled and nodded to his co-workers. The other hunters were burlier, stronger and stunk of masculinity and sweat. He knew he was a bit of an outlier in this business, being about as muscular as a wilted flower and with the physique of a bean sprout, only without the beans. He liked to think his marksmanship made up for the fact. The others didn’t think so.

He scribbled on a piece of paper, scrunched it up and threw it over the wall to Jeremy’s desk. He knew the kid was directly opposite to him. It would serve as a decent reminder to send in the photos. He didn’t want to stay here a second longer than he had to. He started the write up. This was the most difficult part. All he needed was a sentence. He searched the convoluted well of his mind for the perfect order of words. He found them and then it was a breeze. Time dragged as he worked away. It felt as if every sentence took hours to do and every paragraph was a year. It was driving him mad. All he wanted was to kick back for the arvo. Even more field work would be better than this. And he wasn’t a fan of field work either. It was like choosing between two evils – typing away until he died of boredom or having vampire blood all over him and putting his life at risk. God how he hated this job sometimes but it paid the bills and that kept him captive, like a willing prisoner.

He reminded himself that the rent was not something to be ignored. It was enough to motivate him to keep on going. He finished it off, snagged the pictures off Jeremy and handed it to his lardass of a boss. He hated that man’s wrinkly, pudgy, balding and moustached face with a passion. He didn’t let the hatred show. Rather, he put on a smile when he really wanted to punch the guy. This job was driving him crazy.

He knocked off for the day, deciding enough was enough.

*******

He curled up on the couch with a bowl of chips. Just as he sat down, the phone rang. He picked it up – praying to every god he could think of that it wasn’t a call from work – and frowned. ‘’Fuckin’ hell…’’ He grumbled to himself before accepting it. ‘’This better be a f… emergency because I don’t know if ya noticed but its after work hours.’’ He sighed, deciding not to cuss to the people giving him his paycheque.

‘’It is an emergency, Robin. A manor owned by a clan of vampires has been discovered in the countryside. You are expected there tomorrow morning.’’

‘’Wait, you’re sendin’ me in alone!?’’ He cried, reeling back in shock. That was stupid. Really stupid. It was a death wish to send him in to a pack of hungry vampires.

‘’You will not be alone, a co-worker will join you.’’ Robin’s heart practically stopped. That was no better. A duo wouldn’t stand a chance.

‘’You do realise how ridiculous that is, roight? You’re gonna send two people against an entire group of hungry, nasty bloodsuckers and expect them to come out alive?’’ This was absurd. He wouldn’t do this. He wanted to live. Walking in there would be like taking a ticket straight to hell. ‘’I’m not doin’ it.’’ He said firmly, huffing out in agitation.

He hated that fat bastard even more now. ‘’You will if you would like to keep your job, mister Mundy.’’ The bloke had pulled the last name card. Now Robin was pissed.

His boss hung up to leave him with an order. He looked to the stack of bills on the counter and shook his head. Robin knew there was no other choice.

*******

He didn’t want Jeremy to come along. Something like this was too dangerous for a young man, of course, being a cocky bastard, the bloke had insisted on going. No matter how much he had protested the idea, Jeremy had hopped into the van anyway. Jeremy was particularly excited and bounced up and down in his seat. He talked in flurries and it was almost impossible to get a word in.

‘’Ya need to calm down a bit, mate. We can’t have ya dashin’ madly around a vampire’s house.’’ He said, elbowing Jeremy.

He sipped at a can of soft drink with a giddy grin on his face. ‘’You’re talking like that’s a problem, pal! I can just blap ‘em and run!’’ He made finger guns with his hands. ‘’You’re gonna be too slow and they’ll eat you!’’ He laughed, elbowing him back.

‘’Jus’ remember to be careful about it. If things get too hectic, don’t be scared to run.’’ He reminded.

‘’You’ve told me this crap about ten hundred thousand times. I’ll be fine, _mom._ ’’ He barked in his typical ‘fuck off’ sort of voice.

‘’I’m only tryin’ to keep ya safe.’’ He replied, shrugging. He sounded comfortable on the outside but his insides had been scrambled by fear for not only Jeremy but himself.

The drive proved to be long and tiresome, with banked up traffic all the way out of the city. It felt like they were crawling along the road, one step at a time until they crossed over to the semirural areas and finally, to the secluded property. He parked the van outside the old, gothic gates and had to stop. It was a stunning place, the kind only retired and wealthy old people could afford. Even the gates were like works of art and the manor was simply breathtaking. It was enormous and styled in a rustic, yet enticing and luxurious manner. The Jeremy opened the gate out wide and it squealed on old hinges. ‘’Fuck, mate, I hope to hell they didn’t hear that.’’ He hissed to the other hunter, indirectly scolding him for being careless.

Jeremy said nothing to it and walked right ahead as if no caution was necessary. He unholstered his pistol, stood by the front door and to Robin’s shock and terror, Jeremy knocked on it like a complete idiot. He crouched just behind the door, so whoever opened it would get a nasty surprise in the form of a bullet. A silent plan had been made. Jeremy would bust in through the front and gun the vampire residents down while Robin would flank them.

Robin took a different route. He went around to the back. There was a backdoor, but he couldn’t help but notice how some bricks protruded just enough to be a foothold. Upon closer examination he realised just how easily he could climb to the upper storey and ambush the vampires inside. He would need to snag any and every advantage in order to get out of this place alive. He scaled the wall with ease. He felt his body turn cold when he heard a gunshot. It was starting. He wondered if either of them would survive this. If he was smart, maybe they would. He hopped onto the balcony and unholstered his gun. He sucked in a breath and took in the cold morning air, hoping it would breathe vigour into him. He opened the door slowly and so gently, as if it was made of glass. He slipped into the room as a snake slithers through a crack in the wall. The room was dimly lit by a lamp with a red bulb, casting a dark, rich crimson glow over the room.

It appeared to be a master bedroom, with flowing lace curtains and an enormous bed with beautiful blankets. The windows were arched with spotless panes. It was an old styled room, with floral wallpaper that peeled at the top. By the bedside, a vase full of red and white roses stood proudly. It looked to be a room suitable for a wealthy old vampire with too much free time and an unusual love for flowers.

He heard the distinctive rustle of a page turning and his heart lurched. He darted to the bed and felt himself freeze up. Laying there without a care in the world was a vampire. In his hands, he held a book. Long, sagittal claws tapped against the hard cover in a repetitive, gentle rhythm. He appeared to be clean, groomed and rather stately. Looking closer, he was an older bloke with a stern jaw, bright blue eyes, greying dark hair and a joyous smile. He hardly noticed Robin standing at the bedside.

He cleared his throat. ‘’Hands u—‘’ The vampire put a finger up to shush him. He felt irritability ignite but it quickly fizzled out as soon as he noticed just how peaceful this odd bloodsucker was. Robin had his gun in hand, but he hesitated. His fingers were uncertain on the trigger. This monster was so… quiet. So passive. Most vampires leapt and hissed as soon as they noticed him. But he was merely reading quietly. It was strikingly human. He found himself stunned. The bloke’s eyes skimmed the last paragraph on the page. He then put a bookmark in and closed the book. He tossed it to the side dramatically.

‘’I must apologise for that. I’ve gotten to a very exciting segment and this book has been hard to put down.’’ He said with a smile. He sat up and it was only then when Robin realised that this bloodsucker was stark naked. Those blue eyes met his then trailed down his body. A sly grin spread on those thin lips, revealing long, needle like fangs. ‘’Ooh, I just knew I could smell blood…’’ He cooed excitedly. ‘’Your timing could not be any more perfect!’’ His fangs elongated and now snuck out from his lips as if peering out. ‘’I haven’t fed in days and to see fresh blood walk right in… oh, it’s a dream come true.’’ He sighed out patting the space next to him. ‘’Come, sit.’’ Despite his refined appearance, he had a light voice with a rich, dramatic flair.

He finally noticed the gun to his head and the giddy smile dissolved. Then their eyes met and something changed. He felt something wriggle into his mind, like a worm. It burrowed inside and dug in deep. It infected his thoughts, explored his thoughts and feelings. Felt everything about him and injected thoughts foreign to him. The vampire’s eyes went dark, as if the lights had been switched off. Dark veins ran from his eyes like crow’s feet, so dark and clear it was as if they were filled with ink. He was trapped in that gaze, held there and smothered in it, blanketed by it. He felt warm and numb and had no intention of leaving. He was comfortable here, in the eye of the storm. He was looking into the void and being looked at in kind and being filled with a stunning and blissful sensation. His body was being filled with heat and numbness and he could hardly move. He felt his senses open up for what felt like the first time as a voice whispered to him. The words were unclear and jumbled but the sound was akin to a pretty melody in his mind. They became clearer and clearer with every second until he heard it perfectly. There was no sound in this place apart from those words. There was nothing to see except those dark, black eyes. It was warm here, comfortable – as if the air had become warm water. Thoughts came to a halt. Nothing mattered except this safe, pleasant haven of sweetness and comfort. He wanted to stay forever, in the loving arms of this mental embrace.

 _Let’s be civil about this._ Those words repeated over and over until he comprehended them.

The grip on his gun loosened as his fingers relaxed and it dropped to the floor. Robin felt everything loosen. He was no longer stressing his muscles or balling his fists. He felt relief in the form of a wave of warmth and a strange sensation that he could only describe as phantom hands stroking his body and scratching an itch he didn’t even know he had. The world drowned in warm water and coated his everything in a pleasant tar. Wilhelm cupped his chin and tilted his face up to force eye contact.

_Sit._

A simple command, one that rippled in the well of his mind. It was one he intended to obey. From another room, a gunshot resounded through the house and the tar that had entrapped his mind melted away.

The vampire turned in the direction of the sound and scowled. ‘’Oh, so there’s more of you, hm?’’ He sounded more so annoyed than threatened by the fact. He was too dazed to respond. His tongue felt numb and heavy in his mouth. ‘’They won’t make it here, herr hunter.’’ He chuckled lowly, evilly. It was a natural laugh, like that of a hyena. He lifted up three fingers and lowered them one by one, as if counting down. Then, a scream rang out. It sounded like Jeremy and instinct kicked in.

He took off in a sprint, obeying adrenaline alone. He ran toward the source of the sound. The hallway was like a labyrinth, with far too many rooms to be practical. He tripped on the polished floors and skid down the hallway. He fumbled to his feet, noticed the tall staircase then he slid down the railing. He found himself in the lounge room, where a bloodsucker had Jeremy in a tight hold. He squirmed and writhed against their pale, clawed hands trying desperately to free himself. His heart was beating rapidly in his chest. ‘’Let him go, ya cunt!’’ Robin barked, feeling for his gun only to realise he had dropped it. He was useless, weak and totally defenceless. The last thing he wanted was to see the boy’s throat ripped out. ‘’LET HIM GO!’’ He yelled, feeling his throat turn coarse with effort. He thought about tackling the bastard holding his partner, only to realise there were more monsters about, watching from the sidelines, ready to pounce if he did.

They were utterly surrounded.

Robin heard slow, taunting steps from behind him. He turned and saw that same bloke from before. The vampire was now dressed. And well at that. He wore tall boots, dress pants, rounded glasses and a buttoned shirt with an eccentric, patterned tie. He had the gait of a proud pony and the taunting, prideful smile of an autocrat. He opened his arms out wide, as to draw more attention to himself. ‘’Good show, herr hunter! It was so _very_ convincing.’’ He said excitedly, mockingly wiping a tear from his eye. Then, he clapped – slowly and sarcastically - as if it had all been a performance. When he started, the other monsters mimicked him and started a strange standing ovation. Being in the spotlight with real people would have been uncomfortable but catching the attention of a whole pack of monsters made him want to crawl out of his skin. ‘’Embarrassed, are we?’’ He chuckled as he approached.

‘’Who the fuck are ya!?’’ He yelled out.

‘’I’m glad you asked.’’ It was to salt the wound, he knew that much. ‘’Wilhelm Ludwig.’’ He said with a hint of pride. He raised a hand to show off the ring on his index. It was engraved with some sort of emblem that he didn’t recognise. A family emblem, maybe. ‘’Oh. You don’t recognise what this is?’’ He sounded so demeaning. This vampire was talking down to him now. ‘’This is the Ludwig family emblem. I’m sure you have heard of us. Maybe read about us in your studies, hm?’’ He smiled. ‘’Oh, dearie me, I forgot that hunters are not academics, merely people with guns in their pockets and far too much spare time!’’ He said in a sing-song voice. A smug, triumphant smile crept onto his lips. ‘’Allow me to fill you in, under the excuse of encouraging you to read more…’’ He paused to think for a moment. ‘’We are a family of vampires, bred with only the purest of our kind in order to bring out only the most powerful traits.’’ He examined his ring as he spoke. ‘’And if your brain is functional, you have worked out what that means.’’

‘’You’re not human. Never were, either.’’ He muttered quietly. Robin felt those words bury themselves in his mind. This wasn’t a man, not even part of a man. He was all monster in a man’s skin. He was pretending to be human as he sucked the blood of the real people all around him. He didn’t even deserve pity. He wasn’t a man that became a creature, rather he had been inhuman the whole time and worst of all, he seemed to be proud of it.

‘’Incredible detective work!’’ He taunted. A vegetable could have worked that one out. This monster was playing with him, berating him and hurting him without laying a finger on him.

‘’Fuck ya.’’ He hissed.

‘’Tut, tut. That sort of disrespect won’t get you anywhere.’’ He outstretched his hand, showing off long, pointed nails and pale skin under the light. ‘’A show of good faith. I have no intention of hurting you, herr hunter.’’

‘’You’re a vampire. I’m not gonna shake your fuckin’ hand.’’ He thought aloud. He was different to the other vampires. They weren’t typically this confident. Most wouldn’t knowingly approach a hunter, either. Nor would they threaten one.

‘’What about me, mister fucking prissy pants?!’’ Jeremy yelled with fury in his voice. ‘’You’ve got your dumbass little lackeys—‘’

Wilhelm let out an irritated groan. ‘’Shut that filthy mouth, please.’’ He ordered, snapping his fingers. His underling put its dirty, bloodied fingers over his mouth, responding to the order as a dog would – with complete and utter obedience. It was almost robotic. ‘’Now, where were we, lovely hunter?’’ The way his voice could twist and purr in all of the worst ways made him want to retch. Robin shot him a disapproving glare. ‘’Ah, yes…’’ A sly smile spread on his lips. Robin couldn’t help but notice that his fangs had receded and were hardly different from normal canines. ‘’I would like to bargain with you.’’ He walked over to the dining table and pulled a seat out for Robin. ‘’Come here, bitte.’’

‘’I can talk standin’ up, thanks.’’ He crossed his arms and shot Wilhelm a glare.

‘’You’re a guest.’’ He reminded. ‘’And I insist on your stay being very comfortable.’’ Robin rubbed his temples in frustration and reluctantly sat down. It was a cushioned seat and remarkably soft. Wilhelm sat on the opposite end, at the head of the table. He could hear the clock, ticking away. ‘’Now, let’s fix you something to drink, yes? I imagine all that yelling put quite the strain on your poor vocal cords.’’ The vampire snapped his fingers. He saw a lone underling walk into the kitchen. He could hear the clink of ceramics and eventually the shrill cry of a kettle.

‘’Why are ya doin’ this?’’ It was a genuine question. Never in his life had something like this happened to him.

‘’I want my guests to be comfortable.’’ He replied as if it were obvious.

‘’If ya give so much of a shit about comfort and bein’ nice, could ya be a little kinder to my mate?’’ He cocked his thumb towards a distressed and silenced Jeremy in the corner.

‘’As you wish.’’ He snapped his fingers and the ensnared Bostonian was brought over. A chair was pulled out for him. ‘’My only condition is that he must use his inside voice, yes?’’

‘’Yeah, whatever.’’ The kid mumbled under his breath, defeated. He sat down without his usual energy and spunk. The pride had been knocked out of him, it seemed.

‘’Now that we are all calm, I would like to propose a deal. The terms are very simple and I will not repeat them so listen carefully.’’ Wilhelm looked to the both of them as he talked. ‘’I would like to feed from you, herr hunter.’’

‘’And in return…?’’ Robin prompted.

‘’I’ll let your friend out alive and unharmed.’’ He gestured to Jeremy. ‘’I can tell you care for him a great deal and I think that it would simply break your heart to have him killed before your eyes.’’ He put a faux, dramatic sadness in his voice.

‘’And I go afterwards, yeah?’’

‘’No, no. You will stay here as a blood source for yours truly. I did not say it would be a once off event.’’ The dirty smile that developed into a grin made Robin want to smack him. ‘’Feedings would be bi-weekly or more and your life will be very, very comfortable with frequent meals and all of the manor’s facilities at your disposal. I have a particularly luxurious spare bedroom on offer.’’ There was an excitable glint in his eyes now. They both knew that he was cornered. ‘’It sounds rather nice, does it not? An early retirement for such a hard-working hunter…’’ He trailed off.

Jeremy frantically shook his head. He didn’t like this at all. It sounded miserable. The last thing he wanted was to be a vampire’s pet. ‘’No way in hell, mate. Not happenin’.’’ He refused, shaking his head.

‘’Well then, I suppose my lovely subordinates will have to slaughter the two of you.’’ He looked to his underlings. Several approached the table and loomed over them. ‘’What a shame, I was so hoping we could form some sort of agreement…’’ He sighed out dramatically.

‘’Wait.’’ Robin interjected. ‘’How ‘bout this. You bite me once and then we both go home, and we’ll never come back.’’ He sounded desperate, with a shaking voice and nervous stare.

Wilhelm leant back into the back of his chair, thinking for a moment. The tick of the clock filled every passing second. Jeremy shot him a nervous look and Robin returned it. Neither of them had any idea if this was the right choice. Robin merely knew it to be the choice that would keep them alive. ‘’…Very well.’’ He accepted the terms. ‘’I would suggest that you close your eyes and relax for me, herr hunter.’’

‘’Robin.’’ He clarified. ‘’Not a fan of ‘hunter.’’’ The bushman muttered. He closed his eyes and allowed darkness to swallow his vision whole. He didn’t want to see this. It was far too humiliating. ‘’Don’t watch, Jeremy.’’ He said to the kid, hoping to preserve some of his pride.

‘’Mm, I don’t know about you but by god is it exhausting to keep these fangs under control.’’ A hand tilted Robin’s head all the way back to expose his neck. ‘’I do so much to be well mannered and yet you two cuss and yell like adolescents…’’ Wilhelm lamented. He felt the other man’s lips press against his neck and the very tips of his canines against his skin. His hair tickled his chin and he felt the intake of breath. ‘’Ah… I never tire of that scent.’’ Another breath was hot against his neck, making him tense and sending a shudder through his spine. ‘’Relax…’’ That was a soft, gentle whisper and it did nothing to calm him. His discomfort just about doubled when the tips of his fangs brushed his skin.

‘’Quit talkin’ and get it over with.’’ He huffed.

‘’Let me savour you a little, please, Robin.’’ His phrasing made the hunter’s insides twist in disgust. This was different to other bites he had seen. Normally, they were animalistic, like a lion pouncing on a gazelle and ripping it to shreds. But this was strange. It was oddly civil and patient. He was being cared for and groomed before used as livestock. He wondered what else the vampire would have done to him if he wasn’t being watched by Jeremy.

It was almost a relief when he felt those sharp teeth pierce the flesh. Very slowly, they buried themselves inside. He didn’t feel pain, rather, the hair on his neck pricked up. He felt an odd draining sensation, like when doctors took a blood test. As his blood was sampled, something else was injected in its place. He felt it nearly instantly. It made him feel warm and weightless. The world became fuzzy and warm and it was all so relaxing, like being in a sauna. Those fangs went in deeper and a soft gasp escaped his throat. A soft, happy feeling flooded his mind and body. It made him feel calm and relaxed and as if he were in a dream.

He felt those fangs go deeper, into the rich blood well of his neck. Something melded with the numb feelings and all at once it was utterly electric. He felt as if he had been set alight, but in the best way possible. Everything was vibrant and pretty and it all just felt _right_. He let out a whimper and grabbed Wilhelm by instinct. It turned into something even better. A ripple of something so pure and terrifyingly potent tore through his system and a moan escaped his throat. His breath had been stolen from him and he was left panting. A cloud lingered over his mind, crushing any thought under the overpowering feelings of _everything._

Robin somehow didn’t want it to end but it did. Those fangs retreated, leaving behind two oozing puncture marks. ‘’You done?’’ He breathed out, noticing how his voice came out as groggy and unrefined. His mind still felt foggy and thoughts barely came through the wall of mist. ‘’I hope you enjoyed that.’’ He grumbled, absentmindedly touching the wound, feeling the painful marks.

‘’Oh, yes. Very much so. I think you did as well if I am not mistaken.’’ His voice sounded richer, joyous and somehow pleased and warm. ‘’I have to thank you for being so generous.’’ Wilhelm’s fingers swept up the blood leaking from the wound. He sampled it gladly. ‘’And just for your interest, I want to say that your blood is simply wonderful. I hope you come back soon.’’ He couldn’t help but notice how there was a rosiness on the vampire’s cheeks and more colour in his face, as if the blood had reinvigorated his body.

‘’Don’t count on it.’’ Robin grumbled as the haze wore thin. ‘’C’mon, Jeremy. Let’s get outta here.’’ 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As a side note, school is super busy at the moment. So updates will be slow for literally everything.
> 
> This was a nightmare to fix, it took about four rewrites to get this introduction. Things might be a bit smoother from here.
> 
> I'm very nervous, so please tell me what you thought of it.
> 
> Regardless, have a lovely day!


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Friendly reminder not to ignore the bites on your neck~

Coming back to work the next morning was like coming to the gallows to be hung and mocked. He had slung a scarf around his neck to cover the bite. They didn’t have to know. Nobody had to know. The eyes of the crowd – each member seated at their respective desks – followed him all the way up to the boss’ office. Some pointed fingers and whispered among themselves. Word had likely gotten out that he had ran from that manor with his tail between his legs. He felt like a laughingstock, one that had been abused for all of three metres to the office. He rapped on the door and waited, feeling shame as a burdensome weight on his shoulders.

‘’Come in.’’ His boss said from behind the door.

Robin opened it slowly and slipped inside. The scent of a freshly microwaved lunch hit his nose and he felt only envy. It was always different seeing the pudgy, saggy potato sack of a boss in person rather than over the phone. He always looked smaller in Robin’s mind’s eye. He folded his hands on his desk and looked up expectantly at Robin.

‘’What is it, Robin?’’ Dennis said, thick brows furrowing in impatience.

‘’So, as ya might know, mate, I sorta…’’ He fumbled to find the right words. ‘’Jeremy and I got ourselves into a bit of a situation and long story short, we couldn’t kill the targets.’’ He fidgeted with his hands as he spoke, as if to busy himself while he waited for the scolding.

‘’Did you kill any of them?’’ His boss growled, squeezing his hands together until his knuckles turned white. That spelled irritation out to Robin loud and clear.

‘’No.’’ He mumbled.

The big guy let out a long sigh and rubbed his temples. ‘’Look, we’ll assign someone else to the manor—‘’

‘’—Don’t!’’ He cut in. ‘’You’re sendin’ ‘em to death, mate. You can’t.’’

‘’But these are merely vampires, Robin. We are all trained professionals in this building.’’ He huffed and crossed his arms. ‘’Or is there more to this that you’re not telling me?’’

‘’Look, this vampire – the bloke who owns that damned manor – he’s not the typical vampire. He went on this spiel about being a pureblooded vampire or some sh… somethin’ like that. He had like a whole bloody army in that house and they all listened to him like machines it was fuckin’ crazy and terrifyin’.’’ He lost control of what he was saying. He was blabbering now, the lid was off and it was all coming out. ‘’He got in my head, Dennis! I felt him in there jus’ fuckin’ around with it. He made me drop my gun and then it all went to shit. I had to…’’ He stopped himself there. He cut it short and regained his composure.

The stout man scowled in disapproval. ‘’Well then, you know the policy. I can’t pay you for work you didn’t do, mister Mundy.’’ He shrugged and sipped at his coffee. Robin raised a finger to object. ‘’This is not up to negotiation.’’ He reminded, giving him a demeaning stare. ‘’Off you go now. You have wasted too much of my time…’’ The big man grumbled, dismissing him with a half-hearted wave. ‘’And just between you and me, mister Mundy, you may experience a… temporary and drastic increase in work if you understand me. It will be simply gruelling, I promise you. May it serve as a reminder not to come to me with your tail between your legs and nothing to show for it.’’

‘’You’re punishing me? Mate… the humiliation is punishment _enough_!’’ Robin let out a groan and stormed out of there. He slammed the door on the way out.

Jeremy was waiting there and didn’t even bother to pretend that he hadn’t been listening in. ‘’Jackass.’’ He hissed under his breath with his dark eyes darting in the direction of the office. ‘’Let’s go.’’ He said, grabbing Robin by the arm. It wasn’t forceful but rather, caring. It was unusual for the kid to be so soft.

Then, all it once, it hit him. Jeremy felt bad about all of this. ‘’Mate, ya shouldn't feel bad ‘bout this.’’ He said, patting Jeremy on the shoulder. He merely looked back at him with a guilty stare. ‘’Not your fault, okay? And besides, its all gonna be fine. I don’t think it’s infectious.’’ He whispered the last part, making sure it was out of earshot. The last thing he wanted was a medical examination. That would be the ultimate shaming. If a hunter got bit, that hunter was as good as dead and word around town was that these executions happened even if the bites _weren’t_ infectious. Paranoia seemed to be eating away at even this once steady cornerstone of hope.

‘’I just think that we could have done it if I hadn’t gotten caught, y’know?’’ He mumbled guiltily as they walked. ‘’The bite doesn’t even look real… it’s so… clean.’’ He trailed off into a mere mutter.

‘’Nah, mate. It was a no-win situation. We’re lucky we got out of there alive. There were jus’ too many for a two-man squad.’’ He reassured, allowing his voice to turn soft and kind. The last thing he wanted was for the kid to feel responsible for this or worse, for him to get all sulky. ‘’It’s all gonna be dandy, yeah?’’

‘’Yeah.’’ The Bostonian nodded.

He shook his head and let out a sigh. ‘’Boss said I’ll be getting lots’a field work. I think its to ‘teach me a lesson’ or somethin’ stupid like that.’’ He snarled, balling his fists in anger. ‘’I’d like to see that lardass even try to gut a vampire!’’

The kid chuckled. It was boyish giggle, immature and mocking but endearing. ‘’His fat fingers would probably get stuck in the trigger!’’ They shared a laugh over that. It was quite the mental image.

‘’I mean, this didn’t come outta me but I’ll tag along with you on this _horrible_ punishment.’’ He smiled. ‘’For a cost of course.’’ He winked and clicked his tongue.

‘’Yeah, yeah. Ya say that now but jus’ wait ‘till it’s four in the mornin’ and I’m called into work.’’ He reminded.

Jeremy rolled his eyes and sighed. ‘’Forgot about that bit.’’ He said. ‘’Well, I’m more than happy to tag along for afternoon jobs.’’ He shrugged.

‘’Since when do we get arvo jobs?’’ Robin piped in.

‘’Shit, You’re right.’’ He grumbled, shaking his head.

*******

True to his word, the boss called him in the early hours of the morning. He was assigned to two jobs, back to back. Both were in the stinking alleys and ratty apartments of the city, which was just salt on the wound. He dressed himself, pinned his hunter’s badge to his shirt – people in the city tended to ask questions about men with guns – and packed the essentials. As he shaved the beginnings of an ugly beard from his face, he noticed something odd on his neck. He peeled back his collar, he saw how that damned bite had gotten red and patchy, like a rash. He hid it once more.

He picked Jeremy up on the way. The kid seemed to be barely awake, with half-lidded eyes and a quietness about him. He let out a little yawn as they drove past office complexes, gas stations and restaurants. The drive proved to be fairly smooth. At this time in the morning, few people were on the roads.

Jeremy looked to him, then to his neck. ‘’How’s the bite?’’ He asked groggily.

‘’It’s fine.’’ He replied, not looking away from the road.

They made it to the destination; a small alleyway just past a humble café. He downed the last of his coffee and unholstered his gun. He crept through, careful as to not kick any trash on the way. A plastic bag drifted in the wind, scampering across the ground like an inflated rat with no legs. Bottles rolled across the shoddy paving like artificial tumbleweeds and glass shards glittered like jagged gemstones in the sun. At the end of the path was a lone tree, like a lighthouse in a storm – the only safe haven in this filthy alley. Underneath, he could see two vampires, seemingly asleep.

Jeremy trailed behind him, with his camera readied. He approached slowly and quietened every step and every breath. He peered over the napping duo and took note of the fangs protruding from their lips. Definitely vampires. He placed the gun to one’s temple and fired once. Before the other could move out of their slumber, he shot them, too.

With how easy it was, he wished the paperwork could be just as simple and quick.

*******

He hated the way the elevator creaked and whined as it went up. It seemed to creak and squeal as if it were about to fall or snap in two. As if by a miracle, it reached their floor with a distorted ping, as if the speakers were low on batteries. The doors parted and he gave a nod to Jeremy.

They walked down the halls, looking for the room. Eventually, they found it. He first tried the door handle and found it to locked. He knocked just once and waited. He heard the rustle of sheets and the squeal of a bedframe. The lock clicked and then the door opened, just slightly to reveal half a face. It was the face of an old, grumpy shila with hatred in every wrinkle.

‘’Whatcha want?’’ She growled out.

‘’We need to examine your apartment, miss.’’ He said, attempting to be as polite as possible. Any semblance of rudeness might result in a long tangent about ‘kids these days’.

‘’Why?’’ It was an irritated croak. He saw those fangs for the briefest of moments.

He made an excuse. ‘’We’ve got reports of a vampire in the area and we jus’ wanna make sure there isn’t one hangin’ about in here.’’

She sighed. ‘’Make it quick.’’ The door opened all the way to let them in.

The place was a pigsty, with clothes all over the place, takeaway packets on the ground and crumbs everywhere. The curtains appeared to have been eaten by moths and the bookshelf looked to be furry with dust. The bed was a crumpled mess and the wallpaper was peeling, like sunburnt skin.

He could feel her behind him, he was about to turn around when she grabbed his chin and he felt long fangs against his throat. He let out a gasp and fumbled for his gun. He had let his guard drop and now felt like a fool. She pulled away, with surprise on her features. ‘’You’re marked…’’ She uttered quietly, amazement in her voice. Instinct took over and he pulled the trigger. A bullet tore through her and she fell to the ground, dead.

‘’Ugh, can’t stand the feelin’ of teeth on my neck.’’ He groaned. Robin looked to the old hag on the ground and shook his head. ‘’Hurry and get some photos so we can head into the office.’’

Jeremy said nothing. He merely stared.

‘’You aight?’’ He asked, putting a hand on the kid’s shoulder.

He shook his head. ‘’I dunno, man.’’ He said anxiously. ‘’I don’t feel good about this. It’s all so… _off_.’’ He snapped a photo. ‘’First boss assigns us to that fucking manor, knowing that there were about a billion vamps in there. Then we get there and they’re so… _coordinated_. There was somethin’ different about that big shot, too. He was too cocky and fucking full of himself. Normal vamps are all like ‘oh no don’t shoot me please’ kinda deal but that one knew we couldn’t touch him. Something isn’t right here, Robin.’’ He spoke faster and faster as he went along to the point where he was left out of breath. ‘’We both know that vamps don’t stop for nothin’ so why did she stop?’’ He pulled at his hair.

‘’She said somethin’ ‘bout bein’ ‘marked’, whatever that meant.’’ He shrugged.

‘’She could have told you what that meant if you hadn’t’ve blown her brains out y’know.’’

‘’I don’t need to know.’’ He said, waving it off. ‘’All that matters is that it stopped her from bitin’ me.’’

Jeremy let out a sigh. ‘’I dunno, man. All I’m sayin’ is that this can’t be good.’’

*******

After submitting the paperwork to the higher ups, he invited Jeremy over to his place for a beer. He thought a bit of laughter and a cold one would do them both some good. He put a movie on, cooked up some sausages and joined the kid on the couch, with a hotdog in hand.

‘’This isn’t a fucking hotdog.’’ Jeremy scoffed, pointing to his own food.

‘’This is how we do it in Oz.’’ He replied. ‘’Y’know, Sunday night and there’s no food in the fridge so your mum and dad jus’ throw a sausage between two slabs’a bread and that’s dinner.’’ He ruffled the boy’s hair. ‘’So eat up ‘cause there’s nothin’ else.’’

‘’Already on it.’’ He said with a mouth full of bread. There was a pause filled by a energetic action scene and the sound of gunshots from the television. Jeremy swallowed and looked to him, with a grin on his face. ‘’Didcha get paid lots for those jobs?’’

‘’You’re dreamin’, mate. I jus’ got the usual and I’m guessin’ you did too.’’ The guilty chuckle from Jeremy gave him away. They only got paid extra for eliminating packs. ‘’It’s funny, I remember thinkin’ as a kid that hunters were respected and hell, even liked.’’

‘’You must’ve been a pretty dumb kid.’’ Jeremy scoffed. ‘’Even I knew that this was a crap job.’’

‘’Yeah but you knew what you were getting into. I was jus’ a dumbass boy right outta the countryside that had killed a few bloodsuckers.’’ He shrugged.

‘’Wait, you hunted them unofficially? Surely that’s illegal, yeah?’’

‘’I jus’ didn’t get caught.’’ He snickered.

‘’Right.’’ Jeremy added. ‘’So who was your first vamp? Maybe a random? Or did a pal or something get bit?’’

‘’It’s a bit of a tale,’’ He said, recalling that scorching night on the farm.

‘’We got food, beer and time. I’m down.’’

‘’It started pretty small.’’ He needed a second to properly recall the details. He had been young then, living with an uncle in the country. He missed the place sorely. He didn’t miss the scorching summers and the crippling lack of an air conditioner, however. ‘’When I was a young bloke I lived on my uncle’s farm. Roight, so one summer’s night – I still remember it to this day – I was havin’ trouble sleepin’ because it was so fuckin’ hot. I’m rollin’ around in bed and eventually I hear this horrible noise from the barn, which was like outside my room pretty much. And the cattle are fuckin’ screamin’ like banshees and runnin’ around and crashin’ intah shit like there was no tomorrow. I remember thinkin’ to myself ‘how the fuck did a dingo get in the barn?’’’ He had Jeremy’s full attention, with wide, excitable eyes. The man was absorbing every word. ‘’And so I grab my gun – a little pistol at the time – and run outside stark fuckin’ naked because if I didn’t deal with whatever was in the barn and all the cattle died my uncle would whoop my ass.’’

‘’Fuck, dude. Why are uncles always so damn mean? Mine used to smoke in the house and he’d always piss on mom’s plants at Christmas.’’

‘’Yeah, he was a proper cunt.’’ He shuddered at the memory of that skeletal, balding drongo. He always remembered the guy with a ciggie between his lips and wearing a dirty singlet with paint stained shorts. ‘’Anyway, I’m outside’a the barn with my gun out and I realise whatever is in there is makin’ too much noise to be a dingo, so I start shittin’ myself wonderin’ if there was a bear or somethin’ in there and we don’t even get bears in Oz!’’

‘’Ohh man, I see where this is going.’’ He snapped his fingers and smiled, awaiting the next part of the story.

‘’I open the barn and there was this horrible thing, I know now that it was a vampire, but then I had no fuckin’ idea. It was massive, with big ass fangs to boot. It had ripped into a poor cow and was eatin’ it. I shot it dead and woke up my uncle. He was pissed but when we started lookin’ at the thing we couldn’t work it out. Long story short, some townsfolk said there had been vampires about and offered to pay me to kill ‘em. Eventually the company grabbed me and offered a real job so I accepted it. And here we are, I s’pose.’’

‘’Wow, you’re sounding like a grandpa at this point.’’ The Bostonian sipped his beer. ‘’I’m getting a real ‘back in my day’ sorta feel.’’ He chuckled.

‘’I feel old jus’ tellin’ this story, believe me.’’ He drank to that. ‘’So why did you join this godforsaken company?’’

‘’It’s not an ancient legend like yours, but its worth telling, I guess. Well, I wanted to help my mom out a bit with bills and that stuff. I knew how to shoot a gun and figured it’d be an easy job so I joined up. I also needed money but that’s not the main thing.’’ He paused to find his next words. ‘’I have this really faint memory of bein’ a little kid and I remember seein’ this chick with long, bloody teeth. And I didn’t understand it. I just thought maybe she was celebrating Halloween early. And I know she was one of them now. And over time, I’ve only seen more and more of the vamps and so I kinda wanted to do something about it.’’

‘’Look at you, a local hero!’’ He exclaimed, grinning. His good intentions were admirable.

‘’Yeah, yeah, I know.’’ Jeremy dismissed it with a wave of the hand. ‘’If only the ladies thought so as well.’’ He sighed.

A devilish hypothetical came to mind and he blurted it. ‘’Okay, mate, hypothetically…’’ He couldn’t contain his smile. ‘’If a chick came up to you lets just say at the bar and she’s clearly interested…’’ Jeremy nodded along. ‘’And you two get to the bedroom or somethin’ like that but you notice two bite marks on her neck – old ones, by the way – and long fangs… would ya still go for it?’’

‘’Would _you_?’’ That was clearly his way of avoiding the question.

‘’I’m gay, Jeremy.’’ He reminded.

‘’Right. Forgot.’’ He averted his gaze. ‘’Uh, to answer the question, no. I wouldn’t do her. I feel like she’d bite me and that I’d be breaking some sort of code.’’

‘’Probably. But no one has to know, roight?’’ He gave a cheeky wink.

‘’I guess, but it’s still weird. Like what if vamps have weird ways of doin’ it?’’

‘’They probably do.’’ He chuckled.

Jeremy’s eyes lit up. ‘’Okay, okay, hypothetically. That freaky vamp, Will or whatever his name was… wouldcha bang him if given the chance? Like, let’s jus’ say he can’t bitecha or nothin’.’’

‘’Where did _that_ come from?’’ He asked, feeling heat rise to his cheeks.

‘’Just answer the question, pally. If I feel like you’re lying I’ll get a lie detector in here.’’ He laughed. ‘’Nah, I’d probably just get my mom in here. She can always tell if someone’s bullshitting.’’ Jeremy joked.

‘’Shit, I better not lie then.’’ He’d met Jeremy’s mum once or twice. She was a nice lady, but he could tell she could be a force to be reckoned with. ‘’I dunno, mate, how desperate am I?’’

‘’You’re itching for it, pal.’’ He said.

‘’No way, mate.’’ He answered. Somehow, he felt it wasn’t exactly truthful. The feeling of a lie turned sour in his belly and he couldn’t help but wonder why.

*******

Jeremy took a cab home after a few more beers and when the credits started rolling. Robin hated watching the car go by. It meant he was to be left alone with his thoughts, which had swelled into a violent storm of conflicting feelings and ideas. He crawled into bed, feeling as if he were drowning under a sea of shouting thoughts. And the kicker was that a lone sensation had summoned a violent cyclone. It had been that sour feeling of a lie. That was it. It had caused a whole chain reaction.

And so, here he was, in bed, thinking about that goddamned vampire. Robin reminded himself that the bastard had a name. Wilhelm.

That stupid hypothetical had overstayed its welcome. He couldn’t bear the thought of sleeping with a monster, even if he was desperate. He simply couldn’t. It was against everything he knew to allow himself to be used by a creature that wasn’t even human. He would just be a blood well, to be used and drank from without compassion. He could just imagine those fangs tearing into him without mercy while his body was used. His mind would be foggy, and his senses dulled. He’d be defenceless and utterly weak. It was a horrifying thought.

As Robin stared at the ceiling, that nightmare of a fabrication transformed into something else. It was no longer crude and primitive but rather dignified and somehow, pleasant. He imagined being spoiled with gentle touches and sweet kisses. He wanted to hear that light voice utter gentle and kind words of praise and adoration in his ears. He could almost imagine the subtle graze of fangs against his neck before they sunk in for a loving bite. He could just imagine touching the other’s face and caressing his cheek as a dulled, draining feeling consumed everything else. He would feel only soft, warm, buzzing sensations of a coming high and the bittersweet feeling of sinning. No, it was more than that. It was an utter scandal. He would be bedding a pure, true monster. But there was something terrifyingly appealing about the thought of being enthralled by something beyond him, something inhuman, exotic, alluringly monstrous and so... _powerful_.

He shook himself awake. This was all so wrong. He wanted to retch and to scrub his filthy mind with soap. This was horrible, vulgar, revolting and terribly immoral. Lust had made a monster appear seductive, charming and even provocative. He had thought of the bloodsucker like that. He, a _hunter_ had thought about a sworn enemy in that way. He was filthy. Disgusting, even. He felt vile, like nothing could cleanse him, knowing that he had been turned on by such a thing.

Absentmindedly, Robin’s fingers trailed down to the bite on his neck. He wasn’t even sure why he was so worked up. He never had to see the bloke ever again. He could just forget about Wilhelm.

He got the feeling that his mind wouldn’t let him forget.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It seems that Wilhelm has gotten into Robin's head in more ways than one :o  
> also Robin's boss is a total asshole but the plot needs him to be, he's made a noble sacrifice for your reading pleasure. 
> 
> Also, you may notice me recycling some old pieces of dialogue/description from the old fic, dont mind that too much its just me trying to stitch the pieces together and to make the most of what I have. 
> 
> Exams are coming to whoop my ass but I need to write for sanity dont mind me. Anyways, hope you enjoyed!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We love mad science experiments here 
> 
> I am slowly going mad with my exams but its fiiiiiiiiiine 
> 
> Don't mind me, just trying to keep sane :)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aww, poor Robin. Things aren't going his way...

Wilhelm rolled up his servant's sleeve. ‘’I hope you will regret baring your fangs to me, dear.’’ He said, flicking the sharp tip of the syringe to further demonstrate the clear fluid inside. ‘’We both know what happens to rude little lab rats, don’t we?’’ To him, that made her the perfect volunteer for an experiment. Her dark eyes darted to the needle and he heard a nervous, shuddery breath. ‘’Why, more potentially dangerous experiments, of course!’’ He said as he searched for a viable vein. ‘’It’s in times like these when I wonder whether I should have taken all of your free will away. It would make everything just so much easier… But then I think of how dull it would be if you all behaved yourselves.’’

He jabbed the syringe into her arm and pushed the fluid in. ‘’We wouldn’t have situations like these, would we?’’ He giggled.

He only got silence in return. He had forgotten that he had made this one mute.

He took a step back to admire his work. He watched as black blood welled at the injection. Her veins turned black as the foreign liquid circulated around her body. He noted that down. It was always therapeutic to know that these experimental concoctions had an effect. He only hoped this prototype would be the successful one.

Wilhelm examined her petite hands, which were now webbed with black veins. He noted how the nails had grown already. That was a good sign. ‘’Show me your fangs, bitte. I will allow it this time.’’ He asked gently as he shone a light in her eye to examine how far the process was coming along. Colour was draining from the eyes, leaving a cloudiness and paleness instead. She did what was asked of her and her fangs grew outward and dangled over her lips. Then, they kept growing. They got wider, longer and proud.

He felt excitement wash over his senses. He got goosebumps and couldn’t help but grin. ‘’Ooh, look at that! I think this is the one, my lovely lab rat!’’ He cooed excitedly, pinching her cheeks. ‘’Hardened nails, jagged canines, cloudy eyes, dark veins and…’’ He parted her lips with his fingers. ‘’Gott, an extra set of fangs!’’ He couldn’t contain his joy as he frantically jotted down notes. ‘’It seems that I have successfully induced the symptoms of starvation without actually depriving you of blood! Just think of what you’re capable of now… ahh, all the pesky hunters you could rip to shreds…’’ He said as he stroked a long claw. ‘’And think of all the blood you could get with these…’’ He breathed out, envious of the delightfully large fangs she was sporting.

Wilhelm knew he was capable of this, if not far more. Purebloods were not restricted to the weak canvas of a human body, rather, they were free to be artful, perfect beings if they so chose to be. The only thing giving him the appearance of a human was their blood in his veins. Over his lifetime he had been told time and time again that it was unbecoming of a pureblood to be reduced to such… ‘ _savagery’_. He saw it differently. Their raw forms were something to be admired and adored, not shunned and hated. Yet, sometimes, he found himself dreaming of sheer overindulgence. This vampire could not reach the same level. As much as her vampirism tried to reach for something far beyond her humanity, it would never do so.

He cleaned the growing pool of dark, vampiric blood with a nearby tissue and then a particular scent hit his nose. It was coppery, rich, inviting and accompanied with the stench of gunpowder. He quickly deduced that another bunch of hunters had come right to his doorstep. It was a good thing, really, he was never bothered by the thought of another feed. He inhaled once more and was able to distinguish four or five individuals. None of which appeared to be his friend, as they lacked the distinctive aroma of coffee and musk. He couldn’t detect the sugary scent of the boy, either.

She could smell the blood too, as she seemed to jolt to life, with a busy nose and darting eyes, searching for food. ‘’It seems these hunters have a sense of timing, hm?’’ He exclaimed giddily, smiling to the salivating vampire. 

**~***~**

As the days passed, it got harder and harder to emerge from the comfortable cocoon of his bed. It became far too tempting just to sleep and to drown under a sea of pleasant dreams. He always found a motivation to leave the heavenly embrace of his blankets, whether it was the thought of a nice breakfast, a fresh cup of coffee or a morning at the beach with Jeremy. Today it was different.

It was the taste of bitter saliva.

It was a warning. A loud one, like a siren. There was a churning in his guts, screaming that something had gone wrong and he had to puke. He stumbled with a light head to the bathroom and promptly chucked last night’s dinner up into the sink. He was left breathless and with the horrible taste of bile on his tongue. He looked in the mirror. The bags under his eyes had grown heavier and darker. Saliva dribbled down his chin and his lips were dry. He looked paler, with skin like paper. He looked to his neck, which was now decorated with blackened veins. The day prior it had been patchy and sore. The pain was gone, but he knew that he was only getting worse. He swallowed drily and wiped his mouth. He looked terrible. He felt sick. Hell, he _looked_ sick.

This bite was not benign. A non-infectious one would have gone away by now. Then, a world-shattering revelation hit like a bat over the head.

He was turning.

He wanted to deny it. To refuse to acknowledge it and to pretend it wasn’t there. But he simply couldn’t. He needed to do something about this. He had to fix this. He needed to cure himself and that meant a medical examination. It meant being mocked by his peers. It would be worth it to keep his humanity. He gulped down water and didn’t dare to touch any more food. He knew he wouldn’t be able to hold it down.

*******

The drive to the workplace was like torture. He was left to his own thoughts and anxieties. He wasn’t certain of what he would do if he were to turn into one of them. He wouldn’t want to live, that was for sure. He’d probably blow his brains out. If the medical bay could cure him, he would gladly suffer the humiliation and embarrassment.

He entered into the office and immediately, it felt different. Everyone was talking in hushed, panicked flurries. It sounded like gossip, bad news or perhaps both. People sounded anxious and frightened as they whispered about something or rather. Some glanced at him as he walked by. The air itself felt heavy and dense with fear. Dread seemed to linger in the very walls.

He went down the stairs. He pushed the metal doors open and strode into the medical bay. He was overwhelmed by the scent of rubbing alcohol and the clink of tools. Nurses and doctors dashed around in a hurry, wearing long coats and seemingly in a strangely organised panic. They attended to bedridden hunters. Robin passed by the beds and a sinking feeling settled in his stomach as he looked at the patients. Strips of flesh had been ripped from their necks. Rakes from long claws had torn their arms and legs to ribbons. They were talking in drug induced hazes, without sense or reason. They muttered the names of wives, mothers or perhaps friends. Their clothes were ripped and torn. One poor bloke was missing an eye. Another lacked an arm. One lacked a leg. Robin could hardly bear to look. Hunters never had severe injuries like this. Usually it was a scratch or little bite but that was it. But these men had been broken like flimsy, plastic dolls.

He grabbed a nurse by the arm. She looked at him at first with hatred but her gaze softened. ‘’What happened to them?’’ He asked, gesturing to the injured hunters behind him.

‘’From what we’ve been able to gather, they ran into a big one. It’s locked up in the attic but it ripped all these poor boys up before they could sedate it.’’

‘’Why didn’t they kill it?’’ He could hardly believe it. If something was dangerous they shot it, they didn’t peacefully put it to sleep.

‘’The boss wants to study it. It’s not an ordinary vampire, you see.’’ She clarified. ‘’I have to get back to work so if you’ll excuse me I need to—‘’

‘’Wait!’’ He said, reinforcing his grip. ‘’I’m bit and I need treatment.’’ He spoke quickly, panicked.

‘’These men are in critical condition. You will have to wait.’’ She said, her eyes darting to a bloodied man.

‘’I can’t wait. I’m starting to turn!’’ He suddenly gained volume and conviction.

‘’When were you bitten?’’ She crossed her arms and sounded sceptical.

‘’Less than a week ago.’’ Robin replied.

‘’The turning process takes over two weeks. You can wait, boy.’’ She was confident in this matter.

‘’This isn’t a typical bite!’’ He retorted. ‘’I’m tellin’ ya, I’m runnin’ out of time.’’

She walked away to attend to someone else. He felt a sense of dread drown his hope. He needed to do something and yet, another option had been taken off the list of possible solutions. He went upstairs, now feeling fiery anger boiling his blood. He let out a long sigh as he returned to the office, where the click of keyboards and quiet mutters filled the silence. Then, he heard the clank of the boss’ door opening. The lardass stepped out, waddling like a penguin as he approached. ‘’Ah, Robin. Your timing could not be more perfect.’’ He said with a plastic smile. ‘’You may have heard the news, but we successfully captured a vampire. It refuses to speak with anyone but you, I’m afraid. Could you come upstairs with me?’’

He hesitated. That thing had ripped his co-workers apart. It was more than capable of doing the same to him. ‘’…Sure thing, boss.’’ He blurted it out, unsure of what else he could do.

Each step was a thump up the stairs. His were light and Dennis’ were not so much. The attic was lined with cages and only one was filled. A beast sat inside, huddled in the corner. He felt an ugly feeling pass through him, it was a mix of fear and disgust.

Dennis cleared his throat. ‘’I brought your _very good friend,_ Robin.’’ The words were lined with poison.

He approached the bars. ‘’G’day?’’ There was a tremor in his voice.

It jolted to life at the sound of his voice and walked towards the bars. He could hardly recognise it as human or vampire. The only giveaway were the long fangs, but even those were alien. The edges were serrated, and it had a double set. It had large, pale hands with talonlike nails. It had a wide, tall body, like that of a beast. It was stark naked, revealing the vampire to be female. It had long, flowing hair and its eyes were white. It let out a growl. It was so strange, it barely looked like anything at all. Just a big, bulky, hunched monster.

‘’Woah!’’ He gasped out in surprise. ‘’What happened to it?’’

‘’We’re not certain.’’ The big man shrugged. ‘’The medical team did find an injection point in her arm but that’s about it.’’ He scratched at his pudgy chin. ‘’It looks like it’s starving but if that were so, it would be clawing at the bars and trying to rip us apart. It’s… frighteningly calm.’’

Its glossy eyes looked right at Robin and it spoke with a twisted voice. ‘’He can cure you.’’ Its words were a hardly understandable garble. He knew that it was talking about Wilhelm. Only that pompous prick would do something this elaborate and showy to get his attention.

‘’What did it say?’’ The bloke had the gall to lay his sausage fingers on his shoulder.

‘’Not sure.’’ He lied.

‘’Ask it what happened to it.’’

He decided to comply with what the boss wanted. ‘’What happened to ya?’’

It didn’t answer the question.

‘’It didn’t answer me.’’ He said to the boss.

He shook his head. ‘’Do me a favour and shoot it, would you please. It’s only taking up space and valuable time.’’

Robin nodded and unholstered his pistol. He squeezed the muzzle between the bars and fired just once. To his amazement it survived even with a bullet in its head. The hole closed up with new flesh and it looked perfectly fine. He fired again and again until the clip emptied. Only then did it die. ‘’Resilient bastard.’’ He mumbled.

‘’Eugh.’’ The man said, stepping away from the carnage. He looked a little bit green. ‘’I’ll get the clean up team in here immediately. Thank you, Robin. At least you tried, yes?’’ It sounded almost sarcastic.

‘’No worries, mate.’’ He said in an equally sarcastic tone.

Robin returned to the office and he found himself wandering to Jeremy’s desk. Sure enough, he was there, blowing up bubble gum and tossing a baseball from hand to hand. He didn’t look at all busy. ‘’Yo, Robin!’’ Jeremy said, smiling as soon as he saw him. ‘’How’s it goin’ man?’’ His enthusiasm and excitement was almost contagious. It probably would have been if he wasn’t so stressed.

‘’Mate, I need to talk to ya. Privately. It’s serious.’’ He whispered. He felt like shit for spoiling the mood.

‘’Oh, okay.’’ He immediately sounded less excited. Robin lead the way to the front of the building. He held the door open and they stepped out to the porch, where people usually smoked or had their break. He checked that the coast was clear before he unloaded.

‘’Look, Jeremy… my bite its…’’ Robin unbuttoned his collar. ‘’It’s better that I show you.’’ It revealed the veiny, irritated web of a bite.

‘’It looks bad.’’ He mumbled sombrely. ‘’Actually worse than that. It looks like _shit._ ’’

‘’I’m sick, Jeremy. I think I’m turnin’.’’ He said quietly. ‘’I was in a bad way this mornin’ and I’m only gettin’ worse.’’

‘’Shit.’’ Jeremy’s voice shook just slightly, a dead giveaway that he was upset. ‘’Didcha see the medical guys?’’

‘’I did but they can’t help me. Too many injured to bother with a man about to turn.’’

‘’You still have like a week, right?’’ He asked, sounding desperate.

‘’No, mate. It’s happenin’ quicker than normal. I don’t know when I’m gonna change and that’s why I need to go see someone. I’m gonna sound like a right looney but I’m goin’ up to see Wilhelm. I reckon he can cure me.’’ He knew how it sounded.

‘’Are you dumb? He bit you, dumbass!’’ Jeremy slapped him across the cheek. ‘’He was enough of an asshole to make you turn, too!’’

‘’I know, I know.’’ He said back, feeling the sting on his face. ‘’I’m desperate, okay? I don’t think I have a lot of time. I’ve seen plenty of bites in my time and this one is somethin’ else. Trust me, mate. It won’t be pretty if I don’t do anythin’ ‘bout this.’’

‘’And you’re just expecting him to cure you? He did this to you, Robin!’’ Jeremy yelled, shoving him with force.

Robin stumbled back. ‘’But I’m all out’a options! If I do nothin’, I’ll turn into one of ‘em!’’ He yelled back.

‘’Robin we can go somewhere else, maybe to the hospital or somethin’, just not to that fucking manor.’’ He was quiet again, scarily so.

‘’No, Jeremy. You know they can’t treat bites.’’ He said firmly. ‘’I have to do this, okay?’’

‘’Don’t tell me you’re going alone to the creepy ass manor.’’

‘’I can’t risk you gettin’ hurt.’’ He replied. ‘’I have to do this alone.’’ He hoped the kid would understand. The last thing he wanted was for Wilhelm to use Jeremy to get a leg up on him.

Jeremy shook his head and pouted. He could have sworn his eyes were watering before he wiped them with the back of his hand. ‘’No, you’re a fucking idiot. You are not going in alone like a dumbass, Robin!’’

‘’I’ll keep in touch, I promise. I just need to get this damn cure then it’ll all be good again.’’ He said, steeling himself for another violent burst of emotion.

‘’Robin, please! You can’t go. C’mon, pally. I need you here. You can’t run into that damn bloodsucker’s arms.’’

‘’Jeremy…’’ He sighed out and pulled him in for a hug. ‘’I’m not happy ‘bout it either but I have to. You know what the company does if they know there’s a vampire in their ranks. I have to do this.’’ He squeezed the kid tightly, hoping to bring him some comfort.

‘’Just don’t go and die on me.’’ He murmured with a weak, shivering voice.

*******

Standing before the elegant, austere gates of the manor was like being at the gate of hell and the pearly gates of heaven at the same time. The ghastly, rustic manor made him think of the former, whilst the picturesque countryside made him think of the latter. Robin carefully pried the doors apart and walked along the neat path to the porch. The place was covered in colourful wildflowers that seemed to watch him as he walked past. The light wind managed to crawl under the wide brim of his hat to cool his face. He felt lightheaded, even in the fresh air, serving as a cruel reminder of his diminishing mortality.

Going up the steps made him feel dizzy and he rapped on the door with a weak fist. Only thereafter did he notice the old-fashioned doorbell that dangled from just beside the entrance. He pulled it out of curiosity, and it chimed out a melancholy sort of sound that seemed to resonate in his ears. Within moments, a feeble servant opened the door with a creak. It peered out and it opened the door completely, standing aside to let him in.

‘’We have been expecting you.’’ It said with a strange smile. It looked as if someone had pulled his lips into a smile, rather than it being a voluntary action. The door closed behind him and he felt a presence beside him. ‘’Wilhelm is in the courtyard. If you would like, I can escort you.’’

He didn’t fancy the idea of getting lost in this manor for a second time. ‘’Yeah, that’d be good.’’

The vampire strode ahead and led him through several rooms, including a kitchen, dining area and library before reaching the destination. It dawned on him then just how enormous this place was. It opened the door out wide and waited for him to go through. Not knowing what else to say, he thanked it on the way out.

He stepped out into the outdoor area, where chairs and a table had been set up. If he didn’t know better, he would have thought the place was set up for a good barbeque. Wilhelm was on a picnic rug on the grass and utterly surrounded by an army of birds. They were doves, or maybe pigeons by the looks of things. He was dressed in a beige sweater vest with white sleeves rolled up to his elbows. He tossed seeds out for the birds, which the feathered bastards happily gobbled up. One had the gall to take the food right from his hand. It was strange, to see a creature of the night like this, to see it being accepted by even the most skittish of animals. Even with the tranquil scene before him, he felt a hateful feeling welling inside. It was a cocktail of hatred and anger. Hatred for himself and for the man with the absolute audacity to try to turn him into a monster. He found himself balling his fists and a fiery anger in his throat, ready to blurt vile, hateful words.

Wilhelm turned as soon as he stepped out. He smiled, showing pearly white teeth. ‘’Oh, good! I was wondering when you would arrive.’’ He said excitedly, the happiness was like sugar in his voice and it was just about sickening. ‘’I must admit that the wonderful taste of your blood has been on my mind as of late.’’ His fingertips traced circles in the fabric of the rug.

‘’Ya planned this from the start, didn’t ya?’’ He couldn’t help but let his temper off the leash. The words came out as a bitter snarl.

‘’Well, not from the beginning, no. But I did find a little… _loophole_ in our arrangement.’’ He said, smiling smugly. ‘’You see, you said that I would bite you once, but not if it was to be infectious or not.’’ He gestured to his mouth as he talked. When he retracted his fangs, he could very well pass as human. ‘’And so, here you are, hoping for a cure to the gift I offered you.’’ His phrasing made him feel sick to his core.

‘’You’re a right schemin’ cunt, y’know that, yeah?’’ He snapped.

‘’That’s merely a mean-spirited way of calling me clever.’’ Wilhelm giggled.

‘’Fuck you.’’ He gave the bloke the finger for good measure.

‘’Oh, don’t be like that. I’m only teasing you.’’ The vampire dismissed his rudeness with a calmness he could never match. He outstretched a hand to a brown dove, which hopped onto his finger with a little cheep. Wilhelm looked into the bird’s beady eyes and he chuckled to himself. ‘’If only you could take some inspiration from this beautiful bird, hm?’’

‘’If only.’’ The hunter grumbled. He looked again and his vision blurred to the point where he was seeing two doves. ‘’Look, we’ve got more pressin’ matters than stupid birds. I’m turnin’ and I was told that you could cure me.’’

Wilhelm sniffed the air, or him, or maybe both. ‘’There’s no rush, we can do this civilly, yes?’’

‘’Get on with it already!’’ He barked, striding forward and scaring the birds away. ‘’I don’t have a lot of time if that wasn’t bloody obvious.’’ He grabbed Wilhelm by the collar and forced him up. ‘’Cure me or I’ll bloody bash ya.’’

‘’Threats don’t work with me, Robin.’’ He sighed out, bored with his efforts. ‘’I would much prefer to talk about this as men do. We are not animals.’’ He reminded, lecturing him as if he were a misbehaving child. ‘’If you refuse to behave, I will leave you to turn. Understand?’’

He reluctantly let go. ‘’Fine.’’

‘’Good, now that you are not threatening to ‘bash’ me, we can come to some sort of agreement.’’ He patted the space next to him. Robin chose to sit a fair distance away.

‘’Of course it’s a fuckin’ negotiation. It’s always deals and bargains with ya, aint it…’’ He hissed under his breath.

‘’Resourcefulness is a vital skill for survival, Robin. I’m sure you of all people understand that.’’ Wilhelm’s pale hands locked around his own. ‘’So, in the spirit of making the most of things, allow me to present two options to you.’’

He shied away from his touch. ‘’Go right on ahead.’’ He had a feeling he wouldn’t like them.

‘’The first choice is to leave you with this… _gift_. By tomorrow morning, you will awaken as a vampire. But before you violently object, I must say that it certainly has benefits. As you have likely noticed, this bite is not ordinary. Your new life would not be either. You will emerge as a halfblood, rather than a pathetic and filthy excuse for my kind like those you see on the streets.’’ He turned up his nose in disgust at the thought of the average bloodsucker. ‘’You would do very well as a vampire, I can just see it now… dozens of thralls and endless—‘’

‘’—No way.’’ He growled out, shaking his head.

‘’I thought you might say that.’’ He sounded upset by the fact. ‘’But, I feel you will not be keen on the other choice.’’ He thought for a moment. ‘’I _can_ cure you, albeit at a cost.’’

‘’Name your price.’’ He was dreading the answer.

‘’For your information, it is not negotiable.’’ Now he was really nervous. ‘’If I cure you, you will be required to stay at the manor as a permanent resident.’’ He raised a finger to object but Wilhelm kept going. ‘’But, not to worry. It will be a very comfortable life for you.’’

‘’Bein’ a blood bag for ya doesn’t sound ‘comfortable’.’’ The hunter grumbled.

‘’But it will be.’’ Wilhelm reassured. ‘’All of the manor will be at your disposal, including a private bedroom just for you, which will be cleaned regularly and tailored to your standards.’’ His gaze didn’t leave Robin’s as he talked. He sounded dead serious. ‘’You will be aptly fed and cared for. My servants will also become yours, and so if you were to need anything, you can use their services.’’

‘’And they’ll jus’… listen to me?’’

‘’Without hesitation.’’ He said with confidence. ‘’And,’’ He began with a smile. ‘’I can buy you whatever you like – within reason, of course - to make this very enjoyable for you.’’ Robin almost laughed, he was to be like a spoiled princess trapped in a castle. ‘’Finally - as you have likely inferred - I will be feeding on your blood. However, I will not be forceful with you. I will only feed with your consent.’’ Wilhelm’s eyes darted to his neck, then back to his eyes. ‘’But do understand that it is a must and cannot be delayed indefinitely, yes?’’

‘’I can’t starve ya, I guess that’s one idea down.’’ He half joked, the other half was a newfound hopelessness.

‘’Oh, very funny. I thought it was obvious that you cannot kill me as part of this arrangement.’’ He snickered. He was sporting a cocky grin. He knew that he had won. Robin was caught in his trap and was unable to escape. He had to comply.

And that meant making a choice. ‘’So, I got the choice of becomin’ jus’ as vile as you or bein’ your damn pet.’’ He shook his head. Both options sounded just as despicable as each other.

‘’It isn’t very pleasant when you put it that way.’’ Wilhelm muttered, sounding disappointed.

‘’And tell me, mate, why can’t ya subject any other person on this goddamn Earth to this bullshit? Ya could have picked any fuckin’ bloke off the street but ya had to pick me. Why?’’ He asked, frustration turning his words into impatient growls.

Wilhelm merely smiled.

In the silence, he realised he had to choose between two evils. He had the option of turning – which he would rather die than do. Or being a vampire’s pet for the rest of his life. This man held the cure. He held his life in his hands. Wilhelm held his freedom, his humanity and every aspect of his being. He had _everything_.

But there was yet another choice. ‘’What’s to stop me from jus’ blowin’ my brains out?’’ He asked, voice shaking as he gestured to the gun in his pocket.

‘’I won’t let that happen.’’ Wilhelm said sternly. ‘’I have prepared you just for this moment and you are not going to escape me.’’ The vampire stared daggers into him and he felt something melt away in his mind like wax. It all seemed to dissolve and fade until he was left in a familiar darkness. It was silent in this lightless realm except for a soft voice that seemed to whisper in his ears. He felt warmth envelop him, like a tight embrace. He felt numbed and at peace, as if time wasn’t passing at all but rather, had come to a complete and utter stop. He was happy here, in this garden of nothingness. The whispers grew into gentle mutters.

He heard one word, over and over again.

_Choose._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's right, the plot is finally starting!  
> grab your popcorn lol 
> 
> As a side note, I love the idea of vampires being weird, freaky monsters that can do whatever. This is gonna get weird :D


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which a decision is made.  
> ...Needless to say, he isn't happy about it.
> 
> Update: fixed some broken dialogue and descriptions and name errors I shouldn't jump between fics like this and this is exactly why

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey I'm back from my exams! You can expect more frequent updates now :)

There was only one option if he wanted to survive.

It took effort to force the words out of his throat. ‘’Fine, I’ll be your damn blood bag.’’

A giddy grin spread across Wilhelm’s face as soon as he heard the words. ‘’Wonderful! Ah, I’m simply ecstatic that we could reach some form of agreement.’’ He said excitedly. ‘’Now, allow me to get what I need to fix up that bite of yours. I will be just a moment.’’ He said as he rose to his feet. He walked into the house, leaving Robin to be alone with his thoughts. He could feel regret forming a pool of bile in his guts, but he knew there was no other choice. He hoped Wilhelm would be true to his word and that this nightmare scenario could somehow be like an early retirement. He would be fed, clean, spoiled and provided with a life of luxury from within a prison. He would be just like a princess, or like a bride to a cruel king. Cruel wasn’t the right word. Wilhelm was more so uncomfortably considerate.

He returned, holding a syringe full of a concoction that was the colour of a wilting lavender. He showed it to him as he walked as if it were a prize. He sat down on the mat, still smiling like an overjoyed idiot. ‘’I prepared this yesterday just for you.’’ He said as he snatched Robin’s arm.

‘’What’s in it?’’ He asked, looking to the odd colour.

‘’I can’t tell you that! It’s a family secret so elusive that technically speaking, even I shouldn’t know about it.’’ He scolded as he searched for a healthy vein. ‘’You’re lucky I have a mind curious enough to read my ancestor’s dull old journals in the library otherwise there would be no hope for you.’’

‘’And… what’s this gonna do exactly?’’

He tapped the glass of the syringe. ‘’In short, this will equip your immune system to fight off the foreign pathogens in your system.’’ 

‘’…Right.’’ He needed a second to process that. He was happy as long as it cured him.

‘’Anyway, if all goes well, the swelling should go down by tomorrow and the mark will heal in a few days.’’

‘’Great.’’ He said flatly. Though this meant he would be healthy again, it also marked the beginning of his entrapment in the manor.

‘’Come on, Robin… Smile! This is a good thing.’’ He reaffirmed. ‘’We could have a little party, make this a celebration of sorts…’’ He said as the needle pierced the skin. He felt the cure go in and felt a sting as it came back out. Wilhelm dabbed a cotton ball to the fresh wound, cleaning up the blood. He heard Wilhelm take a deep, shuddery breath as he did so. ‘’Gott, the scent is simply _heavenly_ …’’ He muttered.

‘’Hungry already, mate?’’ He scoffed.

‘’It’s difficult not to be with a bleeding wound before my eyes.’’ He replied, eyes glued to the jab mark in question. ‘’I must apologise for baring my fangs like this. My system is… misinterpreting all of this.’’ He covered his elongating fangs by putting a hand over his mouth.

‘’I mean you can’t help it, can ya?’’

‘’It doesn’t change the fact that it is quite rude.’’ He mumbled. ‘’Why, it’s the equivalent of a dog slobbering all over the place at the sight of food!’’ He whined, refusing to further display his fangs out of embarrassment. He wondered if he would get used to being called ‘food’. He hoped he wouldn’t. The very idea disgusted him. Wilhelm let out a frustrated sound as his fangs refused to hide themselves. It brought him a little bit of joy to see such a conniving vampire get so upset over nothing. He dabbed at the wound once more and he smiled in relief when it stopped bleeding. He uncovered his mouth and like magic, the long canines had receded and gone back into hiding. ‘’There we are.’’ He breathed out in satisfaction, touching the now squared teeth to make sure.

‘’Now that I’m not gonna turn, I gotta make a call.’’ He blurted, thinking of Jeremy. He figured that the kid was probably worried sick by now. He fished his phone from his pocket and went to make the call, only for the vampire to grab his wrist.

‘’Ah, I’m afraid I have to confiscate your device. We can’t have you calling your hunter friends over, can we?’’ He prompted, insisting with an open hand.

‘’As if.’’ He snapped back. ‘’It’s not like they can even put a dent in ya. Look at the last lot! They’ve been torn to ribbons. As far as I can tell there isn’t one bullet in ya.’’ He jabbed a finger into the bloke’s chest. ‘’And what am I gonna do? Call ‘em and say ‘oh yeah remember me, guys? I’m a vampire’s pet now. I was wondering if ya kindly blow his brains out for me? Cheers!’ They’d sooner laugh their fuckin’ guts out than help me.’’ He put on a voice for it.

Wilhelm gave in. ‘’Very well. You may hold on to it but if I see any more of your sort then I will promptly confiscate it.’’ He warned. ‘’And please, be quick about this. There is lots to do and see!’’ He cooed excitedly, rubbing his hands together.

He called the Bostonian and was surprised when he immediately picked up. Normally he had to call twice or even three times. ‘’G’day, mate.’’ He said, making himself sound clam to ease the kid’s nervousness.

‘’Heeeey…’’ He said, his voice still a little off. ‘’I hate to say it but I’ve been worried about’cha.’’

‘’I’m real sorry for makin’ ya worry.’’ He said, rubbing his neck anxiously. He knew what had to be said. He was feeling just awful for giving the kid more stress than he needed to face. ‘’I jus’ wanted to ring and let you know that I’m okay. Wilhelm shoved a cure in me and reckons I’ll be dandy by tomorrah mornin’.’’ He saw the vampire’s eyes dart to him as he talked, attentive to the sound of his name.

‘’Oh, sweet!’’ He exclaimed in a mix of relief and excitement. ‘’Why don’t’cha come over then for a game or something? I can get those beers you like as well and maybe some snacks, yeah?’’

He knew it might come to this. ‘’Look, mate. I can’t. I’ve got bad news…’’ He swallowed drily. Those words sucked the life out of him. ‘’I have to stay here.’’ He continued, feeling the words as if they were heavy stones on his tongue.

He could hear Jeremy punch something even over the phone. ‘’WHAT!?’’ He yelled, confused and outraged.

He kept his cool. The last thing he needed was for the bloke to start breaking things out of blind rage. ‘’Jeremy…’’ He sighed out. ‘’Don’t worry about it, okay? He isn’t gonna hurt me or nothin’. He’s uhm… lookin’ after me. There’s no need for ya to work yourself up about anythin’. I’m gonna be fine.’’

‘’Why do you have to stay? That’s so fucked up. Like, why can’t you just go home?’’

He was reluctant to say it. He knew that it would piss Jeremy off to hell and back. He knew he had to be honest. ‘’I had to make a bargain with the guy. He wants my blood every so often and in return, I got a cure.’’ He said it softly, he didn’t want Wilhelm to eavesdrop any more than he already had.

‘’That’s a shit deal.’’ Jeremy groaned out disapprovingly. ‘’Can’t I at least visit’cha or something?’’ He sounded desperate now.

‘’I don’t know. I’ll have to talk to him about it.’’ He said, practically feeling Jeremy’s disappointment over the phone. ‘’I’ll keep in touch though, I promise.’’

‘’Okay, pal. Just try for me, I guess.’’ He mumbled.

In his peripheral vision, he saw Wilhelm tap the glass of his watch. ‘’…I have to go now.’’ Robin said before hanging up. He felt like cruel just leaving things like that, but he vowed to himself that he would make this work. Reluctantly, he handed over his device. He wondered if he would ever use it again.

Wilhelm looked to him with a joyous grin. ‘’Would you like me to chaperone you to your room? I assume you would like to settle in a little bit before supper.’’

‘’Your supper or mine?’’ He asked.

‘’Yours, of course.’’ He said as if it had been obvious. He dusted the dirt and grass off his pants. ‘’Come, come, I’ll show you to your room.’’ He outstretched his hand as an invitation. Looking at the talon-like nails were more than enough to put him off. Robin refused to take his hand and merely followed Wilhelm into the house. A servant passed them by to collect the rug. The vampire led him into the main room and up the lavish staircase. Distantly, he could hear the clank of pots, the clink of cutlery and the whirr of the oven. He knew that it wouldn’t be long until the delightful smells of dinner would radiate throughout the house.

‘’Damn, what’s cookin’?’’ He asked, listening to the cooks wander about in the kitchen

‘’Hm, you talk as if I would know what your kind eat.’’ He jeered.

‘’Wait… ya don’t eat?’’ He physically halted, shocked by the statement. ‘’Well… eat things other than blood I mean.’’

‘’Of course I don’t eat as you do! I am built to digest liquids, attempting to do the same with solids would be akin to poisoning myself!’’ He said, stunned that he had even asked.

‘’I’ve seen other vampires eat b’fore.’’ He countered, remembering a few jobs he’d done in restaurants and cafes.

‘’ _They_ are mostly human, _I_ am not.’’ He reminded.

‘’Ya look human to me.’’ Robin replied. ‘’I don’t know why you pretend you’re so different to ‘em when ya look jus’ the same.’’

‘’Unlike my impure blooded counterparts, this humanlike appearance is a mere illusion… a temporary rearrangement of flesh to bring you a little peace of mind. I look rather different. Very different, actually.’’

‘’What do ya really look like then?’’

‘’You wouldn’t like it.’’ Wilhelm opened the door for him and proudly gestured to the room. A floorboard creaked under his shoe as he approached the room at the end of the hall. ‘’This little slice of paradise is yours from this moment on.’’ He said as he walked over the blinds. He parted the curtains to let some light in. The air smelled musty and stale, as if this room was a vault, hidden away like an underground dungeon. He unclipped the lock and opened the windows, letting fresh air in. ‘’So, what do you think?’’ He asked as Robin inspected the place.

Overall, the room was rather plain. It felt empty and dull. It lacked warmth and personality. Though, it did appear comfortable. It had an almost royal bed, with thick blankets and soft pillows. A wooden, old style shelf sat in front of the window. It was punctuated by a pencil cup, a leather cover journal and a lone lamp. His bedside table had an alarm on it. It was a vintage one, with twin bells and an analogue clock. More surprisingly, the entire room lacked a speck of dust. It all seemed brand new and simultaneously old. The floorboards appeared to be polished, without scuff marks or scratches. He wondered if the place had ever been used.

‘’It’s nice.’’ He said, only partially meaning it. ‘’Could use a bit of… personality… but otherwise it’s all well and good. As good as bein’ a prisoner can be, I s’pose.’’

‘’You’ll change your mind after spending the night in this wonderful bed, I promise you.’’ The vampire proclaimed, eyes darting to the bedding. Wilhelm walked over to the wardrobe and opened it to reveal some shirts, jackets and otherwise neatly hanging in a line. ‘’I organised some clean clothes for you. If you don’t like anything just leave it outside of your door and someone will return them.’’

He inspected the tag of a flannel shirt. It was his size and in a style he quite liked. ‘’How did you know what size I am?’’ He asked, a little creeped out.

‘’I pay attention to these sorts of things.’’ He replied. ‘’I hope you’re fond of these. I had to guess what you like.’’

‘’I guess you’re my fuckin’ mum now.’’ He said sarcastically, mocking himself and the monster in front of him.

Wilhelm had a hearty laugh at that as if he had meant it as a light joke. ‘’I hadn’t thought of it like that, but I suppose you’re right!’’ He chuckled, almost out of breath. He paused to breathe. ‘’But I would prefer it if you thought of me differently.’’

‘’Like what? I mean, you’re feedin’ me, buyin’ me shit, givin’ me a place to sleep and god, you’ve even got me stationery like I’m goin’ off to school. What else could ya be?’’

Wilhelm gave him a peculiar look, like the sort of one teachers used to give him as a boy when he wasn’t paying attention and needed to answer a question. It was a stare to prompt him. When he said nothing, Wilhelm prompted him verbally. ‘’Perhaps that’s something to think about. You do have a surplus of free time.’’ He said as he walked towards the door. ‘’Have fun, yes?’’ He paused, remembering something. ‘’Oh, and call for a servant if you need anything… or myself, of course.’’

‘’Keep dreamin’.’’ He said, rolling his eyes.

Wilhelm offered a shy wave before he left. Robin took a moment to look out the window. He was pleasantly surprised by an expansive and rich view of the land. The garden looked about as pretty as a picture from high up, with vibrant colours and an unrivalled neatness about it. He could see a few vampires in the garden and patrolling the premises. He assumed they were to stop him from escaping or running away. Internally, that crossed another option off the list. There was no escaping this place, as they would likely drag him right back inside the gates. The sky had been turned into a blushing pink colour by the falling sun. He couldn’t help but admire it. He had a perfect view of the sunset and he began to wonder if it was intentional on Wilhelm’s part. With how perfect this all was, he felt like a special guest in a palace. He was beginning to question if he was the only human in this manor. It was certainly possible with how hard Wilhelm was trying to please him.

Out of curiosity, he sat down on the bed. It was very soft, like sitting on feathers. Perhaps Wilhelm wasn’t lying when he said he’d love it here. He would feel guilty for liking this place. He knew he would. It would mean he was a happy prisoner. And that was just wrong, wasn’t it?

He opened the nearby door and was pleasantly surprised with a bathroom linked to the bedroom. It was truly private and exclusive. He had it all to himself. There was a loo, a large bathtub by the wall and a shower beside it, sporting spotless glass walls and a curtain as if he would need it. It had hygiene products and anything he could possibly think of. A mirror was above the sink. He looked healthier already. Though the bags still were heavy under his eyes and the whites of his eyes had turned a touch pink with irritation, the bite had gone down a little bit and was not nearly as horrid as it was earlier in the day. He washed his face and felt the refreshingly cool water cleanse him of both dirt and his worries.

He decided that it’d be best to explore the manor, to get his bearings and to busy himself. He took note of where his room was first and foremost and then he walked down the hallway. He peered over the railing on the upper floor and to the busy kitchen, where mindless drones worked over the stove. It was akin to watching an ant colony with how calculated and busy they were.

Robin went into the room next to his out of a need to explore. He felt as if he were five again and adventuring in his grandparent’s country home. He often found himself longing for those quiet evenings with a dog in his lap and nanna busy in the kitchen with some sort of dessert. But this wasn’t quite the same.

In his dream from long ago, he nearly walked into a shelf. He halted at the last minute and bumped his nose against the wood. He stepped back and looked around, quickly realising that this was a storage room. He began to investigate. Cramped, overstocked rooms like these promised answers to many questions. He found little trinkets, old machinery and spare pieces of furniture. He opened the draws and discovered only tattered receipts, wiring and hand tools. He opened a wardrobe and found a lone, ornamental box. He pried it open carefully and only felt more confusion arise when he saw the contents.

Laying on the little bed of fabric was a small bag of blood. Somehow, it was cool inside the box. He inspected the bag with a newfound interest. He soon realised that it was merely normal blood. It was labelled as type O. He wondered if this was for emergencies or the like. Perhaps Wilhelm had prepared it in case he refused to cooperate.

Speaking of, he still wasn’t sure he would let Wilhelm drink his blood. He knew it would have to happen eventually, but he couldn’t imagine himself telling the vampire that it was okay to bite him.

A knock sounded against the door, startling him and he heard a soft voice. ‘’Dinnertime.’’ It said, barely mumbling the words. The servant was about to walk away when they hesitated. It looked at him with a blank stare. ‘’You are not supposed to touch that.’’ They said, pointing to the box.

‘’Oh, sorry mate.’’ He said, not meaning it.

With reluctance, he left the privacy and security of the room in favour of the bustling kitchen. He descended the staircase and felt all eyes on him, as if he were a celebrity. The scent of dinner hit him like a swift punch to the guts and he felt an overpowering pang of hunger in his belly.

It seemed the servants had prepared steak, a grand variety roast vegetables and mashed potato. There was even fruit on the side. It smelled incredible, like home cooking. The plate had been laid out for him, with fancy silverware and a glass full of water. Wilhelm was seated at the head of the table, waiting patiently. Unlike him, the vampire had no food in front of him, serving as a reminder that the bloke hadn’t eaten for some time. A few of the servants were dining with him, despite the fact that they preferred blood.

‘’Why are you here?’’ He groaned. ‘’You’re not even eatin’.’’

‘’I was hoping we could talk.’’ He replied, as if it had been obvious from the start.

‘’About what?’’ He huffed, frustrated. The last thing he wanted was to be watched while he was eating. ‘’You’ve cured me so as far as I’m concerned we got nothin’ to talk about.’’

‘’There is no need to be unfriendly.’’ He said, somehow offended. Wilhelm had locked him up here and he expected him to be friendly? It was absurd. ‘’This doesn’t have to be unpleasant for either of us.’’ He suggested with a look in his eyes akin to that of a puppy dog. It was pleading. ‘’How about I start with something light, yes?’’ He thought for a moment. ‘’Tell me about your hobbies, if you wouldn’t mind.’’

He couldn’t believe this guy. He made a joke out of this. ‘’Well, I like long walks on the beach, drinkin’, watchin’ tele, jerkin’ off, and curb stompin’ vampires.’’ He laughed, mocking the question for all it was worth.

‘’…Isn’t that just lovely.’’ Wilhelm mumbled sarcastically, hoping he wouldn’t hear it.

‘’How ‘bout you, mate?’’ He asked, lining his words with poison.

‘’Does it matter? You will laugh no matter what I say or ask.’’ He said, defeated.

‘’Yeah, it’s cause you’re a joke.’’ He pointed at Wilhelm with his knife. ‘’I’ve never met a vampire that tries so hard to make his livestock like him, mate… It’s a little bit pathetic.’’

Wilhelm made a frustrated sound, like a hiss through his teeth. He then sighed and recollected himself, trying to be patient even through his agitation. ‘’Please, Robin. I understand that this is not an ideal situation for you and that it is unrealistic for me to expect you to like it but I have made a significant effort to make it enjoyable for you. I don’t believe it is outrageous for me to ask for even a slither of decency in return.’’ He let out a long sigh and his gaze softened to be sympathetic and patient. ‘’I’m merely trying to do right by you.’’ He uttered quietly.

‘’How about you do right by me and let me go free?’’ He grumbled as he cut up his steak.

‘’No, Robin.’’ He said firmly. ‘’Please, I just want you to be happy here.’’

‘’Quit bullshittin’. All you care about is my blood and its just more convenient for you if I’m not kickin’ and screamin’ while you take it from me. My happiness doesn’t play a part in this.’’ He snapped back.

Wilhelm’s knuckles turned white as he gripped the tablecloth in an unconscious display of anger. ‘’I am not acting solely for my interests. Yours have also been taken into account—‘’ He refused to let the vampire finish.

‘’—Take this food for example, yeah? There’s a lot of stuff here, fruit, veggies, meat and look at that! There’s a few nuts in there. It’s everything I could need. And while yeah, you would ‘prolly argue its to give a variety of stuff to eat, I reckon you’re tryin’ ta get my blood just the way you like it.’’

‘’And if you’re so bright, how do I like my blood, then?’’ He asked, rolling his eyes.

‘’Well, judgin’ by what you’ve given me, it seems you like a lot’a iron in it. Probably tastes a bit different, maybe better. At least to you, right?’’

He froze up, indicating guilt. ‘’…I can be transparent with you and say that yes, it is more to my liking. But I feel it is vital that you are provided with ample nutrients as you will be losing blood—‘’

‘’—Can’t you stop with the rubbish already?!’’ He yelled, slamming the table with his fists, causing the plates to violently crash against the table.

Wilhelm scowled at the sound and he saw a flash of anger in his eyes. ‘’That’s enough.’’ He snarled back, gaining volume and confidence. ‘’You are not to argue with me.’’ The vampire hissed. ‘’I have tried to be patient with you and yet you refuse to be respectful!’’ He grew in volume until he was shouting in fury.

‘’If you didn’t want arguments you should have just made me braindead like the rest of this lot...’’ He mumbled under his breath.

‘’If you have something to say, Robin, say it to my face.’’ Wilhelm snarled.

‘’Don’t worry about it.’’ He dismissed the comment with a wave of the hand.

It all fell silent after that, like a ceasefire at the end of a war. He knew there would be more, of course. But the silence was therapeutic all the same. The clinks of cutlery on fine china punctuated the quiet. Wilhelm refused to meet his gaze or leave the table for that matter. He instead looked out the open window and up to the grinning moon that mocked them without relent. The bitter aftertaste of his poisonous words lingered on his tongue. It was a cruel reminder of how hateful he and his words had been.

He instead focused on the taste of his dinner. It was decent. It was good in terms of taste but nothing exotic or daring. It was basic, simple but ultimately, nothing at all to complain about. The variety of food present made it pleasant to the taste buds. It was better than anything he could have done at home. Before long, he had eaten it all and rose from his seat, leaving his empty plate on the table.

Robin felt Wilhelm’s eyes on him as he stormed up the stairs to his bedroom.

**~***~**

Wilhelm knew that could have gone far better.

The hunter had seemed so calm at first, to the point where he was almost passive. He had been amiable, somewhat friendly and agreeable but after being given the injection he had become so volatile, like a spark ready to burst into flame if offered even a drop of fuel. Perhaps the Australian no longer felt the need to be respectful and friendly after getting his part of the bargain. To a degree, Wilhelm felt cheated. But he knew that friendliness was not at all a part of their agreement. He had hoped that by spoiling the man he would have earned some of the affinity he so desired.

But It had been foolish of him to think of the hunter in the way he thought of many humans – simple and uncomplicated. Robin wasn’t a child that could be easily pleased with candy and toys. He was an intelligent being with complex desires. One of which was likely to escape the manor. He wished that wasn’t the case but with the way Robin seemed to eye the windows and doors, it seemed to be so.

The human was brighter than he appeared, seeing as he dissected his meal both literally and figuratively to gain insight into his intentions. He thought that the man would find out, but he hadn’t expected him to find out so quickly nor get so upset about it. Grooming and preparing the blood of thralls was commonplace back home and yet, Robin had expressed such disgust with the idea. It was completely alien to him. His parents would have scolded him for not properly dressing his blood wells.

Robin’s fury had torn into him. And he had chosen to bite back like a fool. He regretted it immensely as he was spurning any opportunity to build trust or understanding. Maybe this was cruel. But how else was he to survive? Without domesticated blood, he would have to venture into the towns and risk being witnessed and promptly shot. And was it really so selfish to act in both his and Robin’s interests at the same time? He thought not. The hunter could be well fed, healthy and in return, Wilhelm would receive his delectable blood. It sounded fair to him, at least.

Part of him was beginning to wonder why he was at all concerned about fairness and treating the hunter right. They were natural enemies and it seemed Robin had no care for him at all despite everything he had done. It would be far easier to make the man his prisoner and force the blood from him. He could strap him down and drink as much as he could ever desire. He knew just how easy it would be to ensnare the hunter’s mind, to make him enjoy it, to make him crave his feedings and to make him desperate to please. He could gorge himself on it, be fully satisfied for once in his life and feel the intoxicating pleasure of a proper feed… But that would be simply cruel. He would be stooping to the same, pathetic level of his kin.

He decided that he would make this right, even if Robin didn’t appreciate his efforts.

Wilhelm called for a servant and ordered for tea. In a few minutes, they returned with two cups, one his, one for Robin, provided that he wanted it. He went upstairs to his guests’ room and his vampiric servant followed behind, with both cups in hand. He knocked on the door.

‘’May I come in?’’ He asked in the politest manner he could muster. He sounded so sheepish.

‘’Fuck off, Wilhelm.’’ The hunter growled, his voice slightly muffled behind the door.

‘’I brought tea.’’ He prompted, saying it as if it were a peace offering. ‘’…And an apology.’’ He shyly admitted.

The door was opened slowly and reluctantly. ‘’Make it quick.’’ The hunter returned to his perch on the bed.

The servant brushed past and offered Robin his cup. He took it with a scowl and then looked to Wilhelm expectantly. He sucked in a breath and readied himself for the worst. ‘’I must apologise for talking to you in the way that I did. It was childish of me to yell at you like that.’’ He said sombrely. ‘’I personally would like to move on from this, wouldn’t you?’’

‘’Oh yeah, we’ll just _forget_ that you made me your little blood cow. Easy, right?’’ He scoffed.

‘’Robin…’’ He said under his breath and joined him on the bed. ‘’Please give me a chance. I know we have gotten off to a bumpy start, but I promise you that this can be pleasant. But it can only be that way if you and I are on good terms, yes?’’

‘’You talk like you’re not gonna be suckin’ my blood like a damned leech.’’ The hunter hissed.

‘’And you talk as if feeding is the most horrible thing in the world.’’ He chuckled. ‘’I have bitten you once before. I’m sure you can testify that it was not so bad. Perhaps it was even a little bit enjoyable, hm?’’ From this close, the scent of Robin’s blood was perceptible. He wasn’t even bleeding and yet he could smell its delicious aroma, just under the skin, lying in wait for the gentle, loving touch of his fangs… ‘’I will not force you, however. It is still ultimately up to your discretion when you would like me to… treat myself so to speak.’’

‘’Why do you even care about what I want?’’ He asked, sounding somehow agitated by the fact. ‘’I’ve been thinkin’ over it again and again and I can’t work it out. Most vampires would have ripped into me by now whether I wanted it or not. But you’re jus’… waitin’.’’

He wondered whether or not he should answer that question. His reasons were more personal than scientific. To him, this was a passionate rebellion, but he couldn’t know that. He would laugh and mock him for refusing the life he was offered. His lips were sealed, for now. He first needed to be on good terms with the man before unloading something like this onto him. ‘’All you need to know for the moment is that they are not malicious. It is as simple as you having blood whilst I have an appetite.’’ It wasn’t really that simple.

‘’If it’s so simple, ya would’ve plucked an ordinary joe off the street, not a trained vampire hunter.’’ He retorted. Wilhelm made a mental note not to lie in front of the man as he could easily catch them as one catches a ball.

‘’We have gotten off track,’’ He began, avoiding it entirely. ‘’May we begin anew starting from tomorrow?’’ He outstretched his hand, offering to shake on it.

The hunter’s green eyes darted to his open palm and reluctantly, he took it, marking yet another deal between them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey so I survived my exams it sucked ass honestly, I was so tired and so burnt out it was awful. I'm rapidly regaining my energy and writing power. I'm so excited to get back into the saddle because not writing was more torture than the three hour exams lol
> 
> Sorry about all the angst and angry boy bits in here, it'll get a little more light-hearted and fluffy from here.
> 
> Side note: I live for weird, monstrous vampires that aren't just humans with pointy fangs, I plan to make this weird as all hell and I really hope you lot are excited. Maybe Wilhelm will reveal himself at some point... I guess you'll just have to wait and see ;) oh god this is gonna be filthy isn't it please save me


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which I tease you without mercy  
> sorry not sorry

Wilhelm awoke early, as he always did.

The morning sun peeked through his curtains and swept away the darkness of sleep. His rest had not been dreamless. Memories and the imaginary had melded together into one to create an abomination that left an uncomfortable pit in his stomach. His mind had treacherously brought that fateful day back to him. The familiar weight of expectation and tradition had fallen heavy on his shoulders once more and though his whole world smiled at him, he could never muster the strength to smile back, not even in his dreams. They had been waiting for this day, knowing it would eventually come to be.

In the end, he had only disappointed them by running away from it all. It was supposed to be the best day of his life and yet he had been so very afraid. Even now, his whole system was still unsettled, with a rapid heartbeat, quivering breaths and a chill that had stolen all the warmth from him.

Fortunately, he had awoken in the happy fantasy of his own making. The relief of knowing that burden was long gone was beyond words. This house that solely belonged to him acted as a reminder that he was no longer a puppet on the strings of a family name but rather, his own being. He still had pride in that name but felt that he had never truly belonged. Since cutting those strings, he felt so very free.

Wilhelm was very aware that some things were simply inescapable. After dressing himself and making his way to the kitchen, he was served a reminder of that fact.

‘’Mail for you, Wilhelm.’’ One of his dutiful servants said as they handed him a letter. He recognised the handwriting on it and those familiar curves and curly letters filled him with a sense of dread.

‘’Put it with the rest, bitte.’’ He commanded, refusing to look at it anymore.

‘’Are you sure?’’ They had the gall to ask. Of course he was sure! ‘’It has something inside.’’

‘’I don’t care!’’ He snapped, grabbing them by the collar in a sudden fit of rage. ‘’When I tell you to do something, you do it.’’ He hissed, baring his fangs. He felt the instinctual drip of venom from his canines to his tongue, ready to be injected.

They walked away, letter in hand. Wilhelm let out a long sigh, realising that he had been so close to ripping into a fellow vampire’s throat with a potent venom that would have left them aching for days on end.

He needed to calm himself. That nightmare had been a poor start to the day, and he needed to counter it. He fetched himself a glass of water. Though water was not entirely necessary for his survival, it did have somewhat of a calming effect. He found drinking to be pleasant, with guilty pleasures being wine, beer, coffee or tea. Vampires were poorly adapted to cope with alcohol and thus – like most of his kind - he was a definite lightweight. Simple things like this busied his mind for a few beautiful moments, resetting his mood in the process.

Now that he was calm, he felt that he could pay the hunter a visit. It seemed that the cooks were nearly done with his food and that provided a perfect excuse. There was a spring in his step as he went upstairs to the man’s bedroom. He always felt a giddiness around the hunter, which was inescapable even now.

Wilhelm paused in front of the door. He was about to knock when the scent of the man’s blood drowned his senses. It was so very tantalising, and the distinctive aroma was now almost sweet. He could just imagine it in his mouth now and just how delightfully saccharine it would be. The peacefulness of sleep had made his blood so irresistibly ambrosial and luscious. It would be beyond easy to just walk in and take it from him. The hunter would be none the wiser and he would get a full, satisfying feed.

It was no wonder that his kind simply adored sleeping prey.

He loitered like a fool at the door, taking a moment to savour that enticing aroma. It was pathetic and only working to build up his appetite, but he found himself unable to move. The seductive promise of blood had anchored him in place. He licked his lips, imagining the feel of his fangs dipping into the hunter’s neck. He could just imagine how deliciously sweet it would be on his tongue, with that familiar and beautiful aftertaste lingering as a welcome guest. His body shuddered with an even more potent hunger than before.

A phone call made him jump in fright. It interrupted his bliss and shredded it to pieces as it wailed and cried to be picked up.

The smell of blood soured.

**~***~**

Robin slept like a baby.

As Wilhelm had promised, the bed was luxuriously soft and comfy. He almost didn’t miss the stiff sheets and hard mattress of his old room. This was like being in a big fluffy cloud, where nothing could hurt him, and it was all just a soft paradise. He rolled over, ready to plunge into a deep sleep once again. Reality drifted far away, out of reach and beyond his comprehension for the moment.

The distinct and horrendous sound of his phone ringing dragged him back into consciousness as if it had dug him out of his lovely grave. With a groan, he fumbled for the device on the bedside table and blindly accepted the call.

‘’Bit early, isn’t it?’’ He thought aloud. His voice was a hoarse croak.

‘’It’s never too early for more work, Robin.’’ Dennis’ filthy voice effectively demolished the tranquillity he felt.

He was about to accept the job when he realised that technically speaking, he never had to go back to work again. ‘’Ah, sorry mate. Somethin’s come up and the shit news for you is that I’m quittin’.’’

‘’You _what_?’’ He said, audibly outraged.

‘’Yeah, I’m quittin’. Ya can clear my desk and give it to some other poor sod.’’ He felt a peculiar sense of triumph come over him, like he had won. ‘’I’m not doin’ this rubbish anymore.’’

His boss hung up, just like that. Robin couldn’t help but smile. It was so satisfying to get the last laugh over that prick of a man. He supposed now he was truly retired and living in a lavish manor with his every need catered for. He failed to recall the reason why he had been so upset.

And then that reason busted into his room without bothering to knock. ‘’Good morning, Robin!’’ Wilhelm said excitedly, grinning from ear to ear like an absolute maniac.

‘’Mate! I’m not even dressed!’’ He barked, covering his nude figure with the blankets.

‘’Don’t be so immature! We’re both men here.’’ Wilhelm laughed.

‘’You’re not.’’ He hissed under his breath, hoping Wilhelm wouldn’t hear the offhand comment.

But he did. ‘’Oh, but I am!’’ He said in a sing-song voice. ‘’I may be a vampire, but I am still a male.’’

‘’For some reason I don’t believe ya.’’ He mumbled.

‘’You can check if you would like.’’ It was a horrifying thought, and the vampire even had the gall to wink at him. Wilhelm chuckled to himself. ‘’Don’t look so glum! I’m only teasing you.’’

‘’What are ya here for?’’ He asked, wanting the guy to get it over with.

It seemed that the vampire had gotten distracted. ‘’Ah, yes. I came in to tell you that your breakfast is ready.’’ He recalled. ‘’Oh, and to make sure you didn’t turn into a vampire overnight. That was the other thing.’’ He sat on the bed and Robin furrowed his brows in disapproval.

‘’Get off my bed, mate.’’ He hissed.

He ignored him completely. ‘’Smile!’’ Wilhelm cooed. He forced a smile on his own face by pulling his lips up with his fingers. He could only grimace in response to that nasty display. ‘’That works too.’’ He said as he inspected Robin’s teeth. ‘’Not a vampire, I see.’’ He took in a quick whiff. ‘’Oh, and I can smell your blood too, so that is indicative of a normal human being.’’ He clasped his hands together in delight. ‘’You owe your immune system an enormous thank you. And maybe me. I did help it a little bit.’’

‘’Thanks a lot.’’ He said sarcastically.

‘’You’re very welcome.’’ Wilhelm replied, either pretending he hadn’t heard his bitter tone, or he merely ignored it. His head turned in the direction of the kitchen and he made a thoughtful sound. ‘’You ought to get dressed. You wouldn’t want your food to get cold.’’ Wilhelm reminded.

‘’Yeah, I’ll be out in a minute.’’ He said, hoping to get the bloke out of his bed as soon as possible.

A thought occurred to the vampire and he immediately blurted it without any hesitation at all. ‘’Do you read the morning newspaper? If so, we might have to share!’’ He said on the way out of the room.

Reluctantly, Robin left the heaven of his bed and decided to browse the wardrobe for something decent. He flicked through the options and found a comfy flannel and pants. He haphazardly put them on and went out for breakfast.

Unlike dinner, it seemed to be more casual. Less servants littered the room and Wilhelm appeared more relaxed. He held a newspaper in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other. It was strikingly human. He wondered if he was just imitating others, or if it just came to him. It looked so… natural somehow. A plate of food was in front of what was now his designated chair. Strips of bacon were to the side with scrambled eggs and toast. It was a classic, one he couldn’t resist.

He ate in the quiet. He could hear the running tap and the clink of plates as the vampires washed up. Robin wondered if they had eaten before him, or were simply cleaning up. He heard the coo of birds from outside. It was peaceful, but by god did he want a conversation.

‘’So, I’ve been thinkin’,’’ He began. Wilhelm looked up from the paper and met his gaze, interested. ‘’If you don’t really look like a human… are you actually as old as you look?’’ When Wilhelm’s smile dissipated into a frown, he justified himself. ‘’’Cause I was thinkin’, roight, you don’t act like a middle aged sorta bloke.’’

‘’To keep things short, I am a young, adult vampire.’’ Wilhelm replied.

‘’Why don’t you look like a young bloke then?’’

‘’It’s merely a matter of personal preference. I quite like the look of older men and so naturally, I chose to appear that way.’’ He sipped his coffee.

Robin needed moment to process that. Had he even heard the bloke correctly? Did he actually say he could _choose_ the way he looked? His lashes fluttered and no words could leave his mouth for a solid minute. ‘’Did you just say you can _choose_ how you look?’’ He asked in utter disbelief.

‘’I did.’’

‘’Jesus fuckin’ christ. How painful is it? Imagine jus’ crunchin’ up all your bones and shit… _eugh_.’’ He shuddered at the thought.

‘’It’s entirely painless in actuality.’’ Wilhelm clarified. ‘’Do you recall how different starved vampires appear to their well-fed counterparts?’’

‘’Yeah. They’re hulkin’, ugly things.’’ He recalled the vivid image of the girl turned monster he saw locked up at work.

‘’Well, that is a watered-down version of what purebloods can do. Like them, we can change shape, size and physique. Unlike them, we can choose both our appearance and when we do so.’’ He paused before going any further. ‘’But, don’t be fooled. I am not like those brutes you see prowling the streets. In my most natural state, I sport a more elegant appearance.’’

‘’If you say so.’’ He couldn’t believe a monster could look graceful or pretty. It was beastly all the same.

‘’I would like you to think of a lump of clay for me. It can be moulded into any shape imaginable. My true flesh and blood is not nearly as malleable as clay but it can still be altered to an extent.’’ His eyes went to Robin’s breakfast for a moment. ‘’And think of hunger like water. It wets the clay, and that perfect, shaped structure comes loose until it falls apart.’’

That made sense. It explained why hungry vampires were more wretched than fed ones. ‘’So, roight, say if I didn’t let you have my blood until you’re almost starvin’ would you look like uh… _you_?’’

‘’Yes.’’ He nodded. ‘’Though, please know I wouldn’t be happy about it.’’ He sipped his coffee, effectively ending this conversation. ‘’And that’s enough about me. How was your sleep, Robin?’’ There was genuine interest in his voice, if not a hint of smugness.

‘’It was the best sleep I’ve had in a while, to be honest.’’ He reluctantly admitted it. ‘’You were right about the bed. It was bloody good.’’

‘’I spared no expense when it came to your accommodation and I’m happy to know I got my money’s worth.’’ He said, beaming from ear to ear.

‘’Oh, right, speakin’ of accommodation...’’ He felt a pang of nervousness as he brought it up. ‘’I was wonderin’ if my mate could come and visit sometimes. I reckon it would bring him some peace’a mind to see me alive and well.’’ He hoped to god that the vampire would accept his request.

‘’I am naturally inclined to refuse, however…’’ He leaned back on his chair, considering it. ‘’I am also inclined to be lenient with you. So, how about a compromise?’’

‘’…Here we go…’’ He grumbled under his breath, anticipating another bargain of sorts.

‘’I propose that your hunter friend can visit the day after I obtain blood from you.’’ He licked his lips. ‘’And naturally, he cannot be armed when he comes in.’’

‘’That’s real sneaky. You’re tryin’ to get me to feed ya more, huh?’’ He caught him almost instantly.

Wilhelm shrugged in defeat. ‘’It is the only thing I want from you, after all.’’

‘’You know what?’’ He knew there wasn’t any other way than to bargain with the guy. ‘’I’ll take that offer.’’

Wilhelm’s eyes lit up in excitement. He wondered how hungry the vampire would be by now. ‘’Wunderbar!’’ He exclaimed with a grin on his face. The vampire downed the last of his coffee and stood up to leave.

‘’Wait, one last question.’’ Wilhelm practically froze in place.

‘’Ask away.’’ He said, smiling warmly.

‘’Can you drink animal blood?’’ He had been thinking about that one in his desperation for an alternative.

‘’I’m sorry, Robin. It is not an appropriate surrogate to human blood. Even if I were to drink it, it would not sustain me.’’ His gaze softened as if to apologise. ‘’I know you were hoping for a ‘yes’.’’

The options were one by one being crossed off his list. Soon, there would be no other choice but to comply with the vampire’s desires.

**~***~**

Wilhelm retreated to his private library for the rest of the morning. This time he wasn’t searching for a light, fluffy read but rather, something he could lose himself in. He wanted something that could truly grab his attention and hold it. He wanted to be invested in every word. And so, he had ventured down below, where the air was stuffy and cobwebs infested every corner. This was where he kept the more… irreplaceable literature. He traced the dusty volumes with his index as he walked past each grand shelf. Each volume was a piece of history, recorded by his ancestors. Most of them were harmless diaries or little snippets of life. Some had written works of fiction – never to be published, of course and others merely recorded their day. Wilhelm didn’t bother with those. They were far too mundane for his liking. 

Instead, he opted for the slice of their history that the prestigious and immaculate Ludwig family refused to acknowledge. His mother probably would cane him for even thinking about this sinister aspect of their lineage. Many of his bloodline had been scientists of the unconventional sort and willing to disregard ethics in favour of their ingenious experiments. His living relatives refused to acknowledge their work. To them, these innovators were merely crazed men and had no part in their family, even though these individuals had likely made major breakthroughs. He took a hardcover book from the shelf. The inside cover was signed by a person he couldn’t quite recall. A foggy memory suggested that the author had been a distant uncle or perhaps a grandfather. He wasn’t sure.

This desire to experiment was in his blood and he felt that he needed fresh inspiration. He had tried before, on his loyal servants or on unwilling guests with only minor successes. He perched himself on his preferred reading chair, which was beside an old painting of an rustic town. Wilhelm cleaned the dust off the leather cover and opened to the first page. He was pleasantly surprised to see a table of contents. For once, the author had bothered to organise their notes. It seemed that he and his kin were alike, as the author apparently had a fascination with domesticated blood thralls. The notes themselves were scrawls of ramblings and hypotheses with little to link them. They presented interesting ideas but ultimately, they felt more like insane, passionate rants than proper science. Wilhelm was soon enveloped by his thoughts as his eyes skimmed such insane literature. They seemed to get even more absurd the deeper he went.

Today was going far better than yesterday. So far, he hadn’t felt a need to shout at the hunter or vice versa. Robin seemed almost friendly. For a little while he was worried that he would have to tamper in the workings of his mind. However, he had promised himself that he would only use such power in an emergency. It would be simply inhumane to manipulate his guest as if he owned him. He could hardly consider bickering a catastrophe. Even so, Robin seemed to be settling in quite well. He was no longer abrasive and dismissive. He was even asking questions! It came as a pleasant surprise. Perhaps the hunter was more accepting than he thought. Or maybe, he was searching for a weakness. He hoped that it was a genuine interest in him, rather than something malicious. Nevertheless, it was relieving that Robin hadn’t panicked or adversely reacted to his responses. He imagined that curiosity would turn to fear if he were to reveal himself to the hunter.

A part of him longed to expose his true self, to free himself from the cage he created. 

All thought imploded the very moment he turned over to the next page and struck gold. He felt his heart rate quicken in excitement. It proposed something that sounded far less insane than everything else. It was rather doable, in fact. The potential results were enough to make his mouth water. 

He needed tea for this. Wilhelm snapped his fingers.

One of his favourites approached. They looked tired today, with bags under the eyes and long fangs poking out from their lips. ‘’Tea, sir?’’ they sounded weary, too. He thought to send them all out tonight, so they could gather blood from the nearby town. Under his command, they knew to take extra measures as not to be caught.

‘’Bitte.’’ He said, studying the words on the page even more intently. It had hooked him like a fish.

‘’It will only be a moment.’’ They mumbled before walking away. Soon enough, he heard the distinctive creak of the stairs. 

He felt only excitement as he continued on. It was so very promising. It felt as if another fragment of a universe he was yet to explore had come to him. It made him wonder what else these journals had to offer…

**~***~**

As soon as Robin was done with his breakfast, he resumed his exploration of the manor. He was incredibly curious about the place. Today, he browsed the lower rooms. He discovered a rustic loungeroom, complete with a fireplace and television. Just down the hall was an office with a dated computer seated on a desk, by an open notebook and surrounded by wires. Next to that was the servant’s barracks, with a series of bunk beds in a reasonably furnished room. He felt very spoiled in comparison. It was more like a prison than a bedroom. In the room next to it was a series of potted plants, the likes of which he had never seen before. They were exotic in appearance. Some bore fruit, others had flowers or nuts. The leaves ranged from wide to thin to spines. Some had thorns, some did not. One plant was almost beyond him. It was all so strange. He wondered if one of these plants had gone into his cure.

He moved on and discovered a staircase that went down further. He wondered if it was a labyrinth. He took the first step down and heard it creak. Though that sound frightened him a touch, he went down into whatever was down there. At first, it merely appeared to be a dingy basement. Upon another glance, it was actually a library. It had old shelves, filled to the brim with tattered books. Wilhelm was seated in a chair, book in hand, seemingly too busy to acknowledge him. Robin browsed through the shelves. From what he could tell, the dusty volumes were journals and diaries. Some were scientific, others more personal.

That was all he needed to see.

As he went to leave, Wilhelm stopped him. ‘’Aren’t you going to read anything?’’ He asked, sounding disappointed.

‘’It’s all too… complicated for me.’’ He said, rubbing his neck. In truth, he had hardly gotten a good look into them. Reading the spine had been more than enough in most cases.

‘’You must not demean yourself like that!’’ Wilhelm said, placing the book aside. ‘’I can find you something to your tastes.’’ He rose from his seat and walked to a specific aisle, as if he knew exactly what he was looking for. He traced the spines of several books as he searched and stopped on a certain one. ‘’Ah! Here we are.’’ He pulled a book from the shelf and showed it to him. ‘’My uncle was an anthropologist, you see. His work is all in here.’’

‘’A what?’’

‘’He studied vampire culture and society.’’ Wilhelm clarified. ‘’It’s all in tremendous detail, too. I think your curious mind would love to read about it.’’

‘’Why do you think I care about you lot?’’ He scoffed, turning the book over. It was surprisingly heavy.

‘’If it convinces you, it also details copious amounts of sex.’’ He tapped the cover with a clawed finger.

‘’Oh.’’ A part of him wanted to slap Wilhelm for saying that but another wanted to hug him. He wasn’t entirely sure why. ‘’I guess that does change my mind.’’

‘’I knew it would.’’ Wilhelm mumbled under his breath.

‘’Thanks, I guess.’’ He said, holding up the book. He took it with him to his room and dumped it on the bedside table for later reading.

He wondered where he would go next. He looked down the hall. Robin knew that to be Wilhelm’s room. With the bloke a few floors under, he wouldn’t know if he snuck a peek. He checked behind himself before opening the door.

The room was just as he remembered it. However, the last time, he hadn’t gotten a really good look. He was far too pumped up with adrenaline to fix his attention on anything but the bloodsucker. He noticed the little photograph on the bedside table of a little finch and the unfinished book just next to it.

It was funny to think in an alternate world, he blew the vampire’s brains out, went home with Jeremy, got paid and then resumed his life as normal. Maybe today he would have spent the arvo with Jeremy, playing that fighting game he loved so much or just talking shit out in the back yard as they tossed a football around.

That thought made him feel a little bit lonely.

Robin remembered dropping his gun in here but felt no desire to search for it. He looked at the drawers with a filthy curiosity. He simply needed to know what was inside. Again, he checked for witnesses and pulled them open. Most had trinkets or otherwise trivial items but one caught his attention. Inside was a square of what felt smooth and rubbery, like a bit of packing foam. In the centre was two identical puncture marks. At first he was confused by it, but the more he thought about it, the more it made sense.

This little square was to imitate flesh and the two puncture marks showed where a vampire had bitten into it. He couldn’t help but smile, it was like fake cigarettes for smokers, but it was a fake victim for vampires. It was incredibly amusing. He went to put it back where he found it but made an even better discovery.

A bottle of lube. He picked it up and it felt light, as if it were almost empty. That was when he had to stifle a stupid grin. Robin supposed it was cruel of him to mock the bloke. He was guilty of a good wank every now and again. It wasn’t fair to judge him for it.

This seemed to be the filthy drawer, so naturally, he kept on looking. His curiosity was getting the better of him now. He knew that he should stop but he couldn’t. Robin needed to know more. After digging through a few innocuous items, he discovered what looked to be a magazine.

But it was far more than a typical magazine. It was straight up porn. Gay stuff, too. It struck him as odd that a vampire was looking at human porn. Then that fact smacked him across the face as a sudden realisation.

Wilhelm was partial to humans. Hell, he probably _preferred_ them.

The thought was so vile he could hardly handle it. He swallowed dry and searched for any evidence at all that the subjects were vampires but there were none. He frantically looked for another piece of dirty print that would disprove this revelation, but he turned up absolutely fucking nothing.

It wasn’t fun anymore.

He needed to get out and so he did. He hastily put everything back into place and almost ran out of the door.

In search for comfort, he gave Jeremy a call. He needed to see the kid as soon as possible. Delivering this news brought him a sudden happiness, but he could feel the stab of guilt too. He was surrendering, in a way. He was giving in to the vampire to see his best friend. He didn’t care. He would give up a lot for the kid. And in this case, he would be giving up his blood for him.

It rung only twice before the Bostonian picked up. ‘’Hey, Robin.’’ He was quieter than usual. He sounded sombre, almost. It was uncanny. It sounded almost surreal. Never in his wildest dreams could he have imagined this tone of voice coming from Jeremy.

‘’I have good news for ya, mate.’’ He said, allowing his excitement to creep into his voice. ‘’I had a talk with Wilhelm about y’know, ya maybe comin’ over to visit.’’

‘’Please tell me he said I could come.’’ Jeremy said, sounding excited.

‘’He said you could come over tomorrow.’’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh no I wonder what that perverted knowledge will bring out in robin oh god oh fuck 
> 
> As a side note I've been writing heaps and I'm very happy about it.  
> I even played some tf2 recently which was a lot of fun  
> the good news is that I passed all my exams (even maths! I'm shit at maths lol)  
> oh, and I haven't forgotten about the other major fic. I've been writing for that as well, just this one happened to turn out quicker. Sometimes I hop between the two in one writing session haha


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which it gets wild  
> strap in or you're gonna fly out the fucking window  
> its very weird  
> sorry not sorry  
> also check the tags before reading ahead because it might not be your cup of tea we're all weird and wonderful on ao3 but i understand this may be a bit much and too out there  
> this is very different to my other works, consider it an experiment

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> side note i nearly made a massive boo boo and put this chapter onto the wrong fic (I really really have to get to bed) so I'm sorry if any of you lot got email notifications for my other project apparently I can't read

With his phone to his ear, Robin decided to go outside for the evening. He’d busied himself by talking with Jeremy and had been wandering about the house. He walked around the garden as he talked to the kid. It was beautifully quiet. The thump of shoes that seemed to punctuate every second in the manor disappeared entirely and was instead replaced by the soothing sounds of nature. He plucked a bright, yellow flower as he went along. In the garden, many plants were growing. He could see carrots, tomatoes and cabbages flourishing in the veggie patch. Flowers lined the path and seemed to wave to him in the gentle breeze.

‘’So is this vampire guy feeding you or what? It’d be a bit unfair not to, yeah?’’ Jeremy asked, audibly chewing something.

‘’Don’t worry mate, I get plenty.’’ He replied, feeling the warm sun on his back.

‘’How often do you have to… ugh… give him blood?’’ He spat the words out in disgust.

‘’The funny thing is that its only as often as I want.’’ He said. ‘’I’m gonna delay it as long as I can, I reckon.’’ He lied. ‘’Or maybe I’ll eat somethin’ nasty jus’ to fuck with him.’’ He continued as he looped around the garden to the front gate.

‘’Haha, nice one. Jus’ eat like a whole clove of garlic, that’ll mess him up real good!’’ Jeremy laughed.

‘’That’s a myth, Jeremy. That’s like the first thing they teach us at work! You should fuckin’ know that.’’ He chuckled.

‘’I wasn’t paying attention.’’

He jumped in fright when a hand tapped him on the shoulder. He turned and saw a servant, waiting patiently for his attention. ‘’Oh, sorry mate, I gotta go. I’ll see ya tomorrah, yeah? Do ya still remember where to go?’’

‘’Of course!’’ The kid scoffed before hanging up.

He pocketed the device and eyed the servant. ‘’You mentioned making feeding unpleasant for Wilhelm.’’ They whispered so quietly that he strained to hear the words. ‘’Come with me.’’ They said, beckoning him towards them.

He walked with them to a hidden area just behind a tree. In a tiny clearing, a tiny purplish plant grew. It looked foreign, as if it had come from a different world. The servant pointed to it. ‘’Pluck a leaf and eat it. Your blood will become unpalatable and he will have to leave you alone. Technically you fulfilled your part.’’ They looked to the plant. ‘’Oh, and you must act quickly. The effects will leave a human body rather quickly.’’

Robin considered it. Technically, yes. But was it right? No. But what part of this was right? He plucked a leaf and he could already smell the damned thing. It stunk like bitter sap and like sour plant juice. He pocketed it.

‘’If he asks, you found this of your own regard and chewed it out of curiosity.’’ They looked at it again and paused. ‘’He mustn’t know I planted this, either.’’ Their voice was completely flat.

‘’Why did you grow it?’’ He asked. ‘’I thought you lot liked him.’’

‘’Most of us cannot think to the high level of hating someone. I unfortunately can. I am only here because I must be. He forgets to… reinforce his control on me often. Therefore it is weak.’’ They said before walking away.

He considered his little stroll done and went back inside. He hadn’t been expecting that sort of turnout. Perhaps it was a stroke of luck.

He noticed Wilhelm sitting at the dining room table. He had a pen in one hand and a full test tube in the other. He was too busy scrawling notes to notice Robin entering.

He cleared his throat. ‘’So, I was thinkin’ that maybe I’ll give you my blood today.’’ That immediately caught his attention. Wilhelm’s eyes lit up with excitement. ‘’And that maybe my mate Jeremy could come ovah tomorrow.’’

Wilhelm immediately stopped what he was doing. There was a twinkle of excitement in his eyes. ‘’Ja, ja. He can certainly come visit.’’ The vampire nodded. ‘’And are you offering your blood now? Or would you rather that it happens later?’’

‘’I’d like to jus’ get it over with.’’ He said, knowing whatever was in that leaf could pass through his system if he were to wait. 

‘’Oh! You have no idea how happy I am to hear that.’’ He said, beaming from ear to ear. ‘’Just wait wherever you are comfortable, and I will be there soon, ja?’’

‘’I’ll jus’… go to my room.’’ He replied awkwardly, cocking his thumb in the direction of the staircase. He ascended the steps and felt a little more scared with each one. Why did he have to wait? What did Wilhelm have in store?

He wasn’t sure. Knowing him, it would probably be strange.

Robin went into his room and sat on his bed, waiting. He twiddled his thumbs and gazed out the window to pass the time. He looked to the door, listened for footsteps and when he heard none, he pulled that leaf from his pocket. He turned it over in his hands. It was a paler shade of purple underneath and dark veins ran through it. He sniffed it and scrunched his nose at the revolting smell. That vampire said that it would make his blood taste awful, and whilst the idea of making Wilhelm pay for trying to have his blood appealed to a part of him, another part of him told him that it was unfair and cruel to trick him like this.

But what part of this was fair? The bloke had locked him up in his damned house and was forcing him to give his blood away. He had used his best mate as leverage in both deals like a real scumbag. If Wilhelm was going to play dirty like that, so would he.

He popped the leaf into his mouth and he chewed it up. The taste was enough to make him gag but he forced it down. He swallowed and knew there was no turning back from this decision. He would see it through, no matter what happened.

In a few minutes, The door opened slowly and gently. Wilhelm closed it behind him and finally met his eyes. He offered a slight smile. He only noticed now that Wilhelm had slung a little satchel over his shoulder. He opened it and took out what looked to be a stick and a candle. The vampire put them on the table and lit both. He covered the window with the curtains, leaving them in candlelight. A sweet aroma filled the room as the incense burned. It was rather odd, but he couldn’t complain about the nice smell.

‘’Would you mind lying on the bed for me, bitte?’’

‘’Sure.’’ He rolled onto his back and looked to Wilhelm for further instruction.

‘’I would suggest that you close your eyes. It will be less distressing that way.’’

‘’And what exactly am I gonna see?’’ He asked, curious.

‘’Nothing if you close your eyes.’’ Wilhelm reminded.

‘’No way, mate. I’m gonna ogle if I want.’’ Robin replied.

‘’As you wish.’’ Wilhelm sighed. ‘’I must ask that you don’t scream. It will be entirely painless.’’

‘’As if. I’m not a wuss.’’ He laughed.

He pulled a small sewing needle out of it. The tip of which gleamed in the light. ‘’What I am about to do is induce a more severe response to hunger. My fangs will grow and then I will bite your neck just once.’’ He held one of Robin’s fingers and jabbed it with the pin. He knew it was bleeding and Wilhelm’s elongating fangs were only indicative of that. As his blood welled at the wound, that bitter scent overpowered that of the incense. ‘’I would like you to… oh dear.‘’ He never got to finish that thought, as something interrupted him. The vampire sniffed once to no avail, as blood began to run down onto his lip. He held his nose with his hand, hoping to staunch the flow. ‘’Ach, I’m so sorry. This wasn’t supposed to happen.’’ He said and picked up a tissue. ‘’I don’t normally get these so I don’t know why it’s—‘’ He let out a choked sound and blood gushed from his nose, soaking the tissue within seconds. The colour drained from his eyes and vanished in a dark pool of blackness. Dark veins webbed around his eyes, bulging from strain. His mouth moved but no words came out. Instead, some sort of thick fluid poured from his lips like saliva, leaving dark splatters of ink on the floor. He became stiff, like a statue. He couldn’t even see his chest rise and fall.

‘’Wilhelm?’’ He hadn’t anticipated something like this. It was more than ‘unpalatable’, it had done something else.

When he got no response, it dawned on him that something was terribly wrong. He felt blood rush around his body, telling him to run but he was too stunned to move. Even as long talons erupted from the older man’s fingers, tearing flesh and bone alike, he couldn’t move. Wilhelm’s knees buckled and he fell like a corpse, face blank. He could hear things popping and breaking and each terrible noise made him grip the bed tighter. All colour faded from the vampire’s face and his body, leaving him as pale as a ghost gum. Then, writhing shapes protruded from every part of him, like worms under his skin, which grew bigger and bigger with every passing second until everything from the waist down burst. In its place, writhing, formless appendages thrashed in the air violently.

Robin screamed and instinctually scurried backward, only to hit his head against the wall. Everything distinctly human faded away, leaving only a monstrous complexion. He was no longer lifeless. The still figure began to shudder and shake, like a butterfly emerging from a cocoon. His fingers twitched, his body shuddered and his eyes moved. What was once Wilhelm crawled forward on his hands, scratching the floorboards with rake-like nails as he inched forward and those writhing _things_ dragged behind him.

What was strangest to him was the vampire’s face. Wilhelm had lost most of his most distinctive features in favour of a large jaw and long nose. His face lacked plumpness and fullness. It was no longer the cherubic, charming face he knew. Instead, it was bony, long and all so _off._ Dark, inky veins trailed down from his eyes like tears and trailed all over his body akin to cracks in china. Even his body looked bony. He appeared thin, sickly and frail. Betraying that notion were the talons on his hands and the pointed grin that could tear flesh with ease. Though dainty, he was dangerous, too. His clothes were nothing but ripped shreds of fabric the ground. His breath was stolen from him, it was beyond anything he could have imagined. He continued to crawl forward. His jaw hung open and a long, blueish tongue swept across his pointed teeth.

Seeing that display of hunger sent electricity through his body and he regained control of himself. It shook him awake better than any alarm. His first instinct was to get his pistol and shoot him – no, _it_ \- right between the eyes.

That instinct allowed him to regain control over his body and leap out of the bed. He landed perfectly like a cat, fumbled with the door and sprinted out at full speed.

Halfway down the hall, he tripped over himself. Whispers sounded in his ears. The words were incomprehensible, and he could hardly concentrate in his panic. He attempted to rise, but only fell once more. He quickly realised he couldn’t move his leg. He felt something wet and warm all over it. When he looked to that limb, he shrieked. What looked to be a tentacle had wrapped around it, holding it hostage. He kicked at it and thrashed, only to be held tighter. He felt it pulling and pulling. It gradually got stronger as its owner became more confident. 

Robin was reeled back in like a fish and pathetically slid on the floor as he was tugged backwards. He desperately fought back, grabbing at anything in reach, only to be overpowered on every attempt. He was dragged all the way back into his bedroom, no matter how hard he fought. Robin watched as another one of those _things_ closed the door, leaving the handle dripping with some sort of fluid. His stomach churned in disgust. He was trapped in here and there was no escaping this creature. He was locked in and caged in with this monstrous being. His vocal cords became raw from screaming and yelling and every sound sent a burn down his throat.

Something bulky, thick and warm coiled around his torso. It soaked his shirt and the wetness made it stick to his chest. He was lifted up by force and he could hardly move. He was rendered helpless and no words would spill from his lips no matter how hard he tried. The vampire’s claws dug into the bedframe and it hoisted itself up onto its squirming mass of appendages. It was tall, long and almost fluid in the way it moved, like a boa. It smiled at him, almost as if to mock him.

He was gently laid onto the bed, like a princess being tucked in. Robin shrieked as it slithered closer and in a desperate effort, he socked the monster in the jaw when it got too close.

Or at least, he thought he did.

He only realised his strike had been grabbed when he felt warmth and wetness around his wrist. When he looked he only panicked more. A tentacle had it and refused to let go, even as tried to tug it free. He wriggled like a worm, trying to escape his grasp only for the hold around him to tighten. He heard what sounded like a low, animalistic purr from the beast’s throat. It felt like he was being laughed at. As it slithered towards him, he thrashed and kicked with all his might, only to have disgusting tendrils coil around his limbs and render him defenceless. He was really screaming now. He knew that the whole house could hear him and that nobody would come to help.

Robin could not defend himself when the monster snaked its way onto the bed. It leant forward and he felt its nose against his neck and the tickle of a hot breath against his skin. He shied away from it. It sniffed his blood all the way to his chest. All the while, he was shivering in fear. Claws gripped the fabric of his shirt and in one swift motion, ripped it into two. With his chest exposed he grew even more determined to fight back and to escape. When he realised he couldn’t move his arms or legs at all, he began to hyperventilate. The beast’s tongue brushed his skin, trailing down his neck so very slowly and he began to wail like a terrified little rabbit. He was screaming profanities, yelling and screaming and fighting to break free. He heard laughter. It was so human that he could hardly breathe. It was like listening to a paradox – a monster and a person at the same time. It only worked to induce an overwhelming panic that made his heart leap into his throat. It sounded so much like Wilhelm and yet it wasn’t him. This wasn’t the giddy, happy person that pranced around as if he had no shame. This was a monster. It wasn’t human. And yet, he knew this was Wilhelm at his core.

He heard a voice. It was so loud that he couldn’t ignore it.

_Look at me._

When he understood those words, they held an immense power over him. It became a command, one he was inclined to obey in a mix of fear and a strange feeling that seemed to beg him to do it. He looked to it’s dark eyes and the very moment the void met his eyes, it swallowed his world. His everything faded away and was replaced with nothingness. The emptiness filled him. It smothered him in its strange love and it held him tight, refusing to let go. He let this shadowy, homely place take him. His breathing slowed, his heart calmed, and the shaking stopped. The world was smothered in a familiar dullness and his mind was comforted by what felt like thick, warm tar. He no longer felt fear, disgust or animosity, it was all blown away like sand in the wind. Everything felt so soft and serene, it was all so light and fluffy as if the weight of the world had been lifted. He looked to the void and it stared back so lovingly that he felt warm and fuzzy.

In the darkness, lights began to glow. Slithering tentacles lit up with a pleasing, bioluminescent light. It was subtle, yet so very colourful. Greens turned to blues and oranges with startling speed and it simply took his breath away to watch. In the darkness, the lights entranced him and sealed him inside this world of nothing and everything. His desire to escape, flee or fight was replaced with an overwhelming need to obey. The vibrancy opened his mind as if it were a door and a guest was invited inside. The rapidly changing luminescence coiled around his mind, squeezing and surrounding it with utter bliss. The glow enticed him and drew him in, it numbed him to the sensations of being undressed and pinned to the bed. Every part of him was lovingly massaged and stroked by the tentacles all over his body.

And all at once, the high flooded his brain, dousing everything in elation whilst simultaneously waking him from this wonderful dream only to throw him right into another. Instead of a world of immense calm, he joined one of delight and stimulation. Everything felt as if it was pulsating and buzzing. He felt warm all over, as if he were sitting in the morning sun. He decided that he loved this. He never wanted to leave. This was all okay. It was all perfect. He would gladly be a monster’s puppet if he could experience things like this. Never in his life had he felt so alive. He had been utterly cleansed and he had no intention to dirty himself with thoughts of disobedience and defiance.

He began to laugh. It was uncontrollable and he couldn’t stop. He had been so spiteful of this creature. But it was this being that worked so hard to please him. The giddy person he was so used to had always been this beautiful creature and yet he had ignored it. It had changed its everything for him and he had been so rude as to ignore its efforts. It was laughable to think he had been so cruel. He reached out and touched the vampire’s cheek. He felt the bone there and traced it with his fingertips idly as every one of his senses was heightened and stimulated. He would let the vampire feed for as long as it wanted. It could have it all if it kept giving him this wonderful high. He would gladly let this creature bite him again and again. It could gorge itself on him and he wouldn’t complain.

Those long canines freed themselves from his neck and those dark pearls met his gaze once more. It leaned forward, grinning and flashing its sharp fangs. The monster licked its teeth with a sweep of its long, blue tinted tongue. In his peripheral, he could see all its appendages flickering between colours. It was becoming more deliberate, more practiced and in a sequence of mesmerising colours. The sequence caught both his eye and his mind. It trapped him in a trance and he found himself unwilling to leave. It was all so fascinating and beautiful that he couldn’t help himself.

Amongst the whispers gliding past his ears, a question became stunningly clear. It was the only clarity in a storm of words.

**~***~**

_Pretty, isn’t it?_ Wilhelm asked the hunter.

His gorgeous little thrall below him needed time to process those words in his trance. He saw his lips move and heard only the faintest sound. His response was a mere mutter, quietened by the beauty he was witnessing and every sensation that toyed with his thoughts.

Hearing an affirmation brought him a greater high than feeding. He so wanted to be beautiful to this lovely man and to hear those kind words brought out a need in him that he couldn’t ignore. He knew those words were fake and that they were fabrications created by the pleasures drowning Robin’s senses but it didn’t matter. He could have this fantasy. He could have the memory of how those flattering words sounded. He could remember just how they stroked and massaged his pride. He could know that his plaything had called him beautiful. Wilhelm was hooked on his words of praise and adoration and he pulled more from his pretty little mouth. Every laudatory word brought out a bliss he hadn’t felt in years. He had missed it so! All of this was a fantasy where Robin could find him beautiful. It was all a lie of his own making. But he loved this lie. He wanted to keep it. He could have it forever if so desired.

Yes, he could have him just like this for eternity. It would not be at all difficult. A few sessions like this and it would be a permanent arrangement, one he could indefinitely benefit from. Why was he at all concerned with ethics? He could forget them just as easily as he forced them upon himself. He could do anything he wanted. He had the hunter trapped. He could just lock the man in his room and have him as his eager partner. He could command him to offer his blood and body alike. He could have it all if he just took control instead of waiting and waiting like a frightened little mouse. And what was all of this kindness for? To teach _them_ a lesson? To show _them_ that he was so much better? To disrespect _them_ and everything _they_ stood for? Why should he bother when he could just make himself the master of this delicious man?

Wilhelm resolved that he would consume his mind. He would take it over. He would make himself part of it. He would make Robin truly his. He would have all of him. And god how he wanted it! He longed to crawl up inside his mind and to swallow it whole. And he would take it. He vowed he would.

And for that, he first needed to feed. He had been waiting so long for this moment. Originally he had been hoping to merely come in, light a few candles, make small talk and to sink his fangs in. It would have been over too quickly. But in his true form, he could truly groom the blood. By massaging the hunter’s body and mind, it would be so saccharine and ambrosial that he would be completely satisfied. There would not be even a hint of sourness; only pleasure.

 _Give yourself to me._ He said it as an order. It was heard and obeyed. He watched with glee as the hunter tilted his head all the way back.

He looked down at the beautiful picture below him. It was in line with every one of his fantasies. It was all so perfect he could hardly breathe. The hunter’s face was rich with colour and he could just smell the blood that had reddened his cheeks. His throat was so very exposed and his blood was being offered to him without any sort of hesitation. It was as if he owned him already. His mouth began to water. The glazed, glittery look in Robin’s eyes spoke of his ecstasy. He liked hearing him whimper and moan in delight when he offered more tantalising sensations to him. Robin was so very vulnerable at his touch. He was at his mercy and that fact sent a jolt of warmth through him. He just loved feeling every part of the man at once and being able to touch, taste and explore. He knew it was all his. He could have it all. He could have _everything._

Saliva spilled out from his mouth in a lustful flood. He leaned in further and rested against his neck. Slowly, he grazed the sharp tips of his eager fangs against the point he intended to enter. It always felt so good to do so, taunting his body, forcing it to wait. He found feeding to be an intimate act, no matter how he did it or tried to interpret it. It was especially the case with other men. There was something strangely beautiful about using another’s body to sustain one’s own.

His fangs were wet, lathered with his own particular poison. It was essentially his signature. He felt them sink into flesh and it was immediate gratification. The taste of blood was so addictive he couldn’t bear it and so he let them go deeper. It was so beautifully sweet that tears spilled from his eyes. It was never this good. He stroked his pet and squeezed him just gently to tell him that he was doing so very well and that his blood was perfect. The coppery, yet delightful taste was overwhelming and he quickly became lost in the sensation. He lost track of time. All that mattered was that heavenly flavour and the sensation of being satisfied and filled. No matter how much he took and harvested, it wasn’t enough. He needed more of it. Wilhelm wanted to ravage Robin, rip him open just to gorge himself on his delectable blood. He refused himself that pleasure. This would do. He couldn’t afford to kill this one. A slow drip feed would do. Even so, it was utter bliss and his body buzzed with warmth. He was nearly satisfied. Nearly. Just a little bit more. His blood was rich and nourishing and he adored it. It was so much better than his last feed. It was heaven in comparison.

Wilhelm rewarded the hunter. He took control of every gratifying appendage and forced yet more vibrancy out of every part of him. He could feel the resultant heat from the reaction, the burn from making it happen and the pleasure from seeing his prey enjoy it. It was a nostalgic feeling to put on such an elaborate show of colour. He knew he could not go on much longer, the lights were dimming no matter how much energy he put into them.

He kept feeding. He couldn’t stop himself. He knew he was overindulging. It was a sinful pleasure to be so full with blood. Soon his fangs would retract, forcing him to stop. But for now he greedily took it in. He drank it fervently, gladly gorging himself on it.

Wilhelm felt his canines retracting, forcing him to stop. He lingered for a moment and carefully pried himself free. He smiled, flashing reddened teeth. He leaned forward and met the hunter’s eyes.

_Delicious._

He offered that one piece of praise. That was all he would give.

The hunter’s gaze faltered despite his efforts. It was a painful reminder of his ineptitude. An overwhelming rage overtook him. He needed his prey’s attention. He needed his gaze. Wilhelm needed him to look at him. To see him. To _adore_ him. The idea that his control was fading was more horrifying than anything else.

 _Look at me._ He commanded.

Relief rushed through him when he saw those emerald eyes on his own. He moved his mouth to speak, knowing just how difficult it would be with his inhuman dentistry. ‘’Sssehr gut…’’ It came out as a hiss from his mouth. He would have to adjust to speaking like this. It had been far too long. He missed the natural growl in his voice, how it purred and snarled with an intoxicating dominance and power. He normally stifled such wonderful sounds. But there was no need to here. He only hoped that Robin would remember his voice.

Seeing those eyes on his with dilated pupils and an allure about them left him wanting more. It awoke a carnal, hungry instinct inside of him. It brought out an immense, irresistible lust that he couldn’t simply ignore. He would listen to that impulse. He would let it overtake him and to control him. He would breed and defile as he was asked. He could no longer ignore it. He could not contain it.

Tentacles parted his thrall’s legs, lifted them up and held them. Robin did not protest, of course. He could not disobey his wishes. He allowed the hunter’s flesh to be squeezed and massaged as a prize for being so obedient. He let his appendages savour the feel of his thrall as they coaxed him into utter calm. He prepared himself and went to—

Wilhelm felt a strange feeling. The world seemed to stop. His line of thought faded away. Everything halted. He felt as if he had woken from a dream. It all dissolved and melted away. He was back in reality, where the birds chirped and the candles had burned out. The room was still dark. Then he looked to Robin and his heart sunk. His stomach churned and he wanted to deny what he saw. He didn’t want to believe it but it was staring him right in the face.

The man was nude below him with that blank stare he knew too well. A trickle of drool escaped from the corner of his mouth and he was red in the face. His legs were raised and his body hot. Wilhelm quickly realised that he had pinned the man to the bed. He looked in horror at how he and Robin were positioned.

Wilhelm began to back away. It was all too much. He had to leave before he caused any more harm.

He fled like the coward he was.

**~***~**

Robin was vaguely aware that it was all going away. Something was going. Something was letting go. Then it retracted. It _all_ retracted. Everything unravelled. The colours faded. The high popped like a balloon and he was left back in reality even more confused than he was before.

He got his bearings first. He was nude in his bedroom, with a bleeding wound on his throat and he was covered in something oily and wet. The incense had long burnt out, but the pleasant smells remained. That bitter stench was gone.

When he heard a door down the hall slam shut, he remembered what had happened perfectly but that was a problem in of itself. He could remember every little detail vividly as if it were still happening. He recalled everything from the dark eyes to the bloodied smile to the _things_ that had wrapped all around him. He could still imagine the slickness and the gentle touches. He could almost hear his voice. He could just about feel those teeth plunging into his throat. He found that his fingers had instinctively gone to his neck to recreate the feel of the bite. Out of curiosity, he touched the slickness that lingered on his body. He closed his eyes and imagined the strange creature that was Wilhelm from his familiar yet alien smile, to his laughter, to the bizarre elegance of his form.

He felt an involuntary pulse from an eager, perverted place.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It finally happened and it went so wrong in more ways than one  
> todays game is guess the author's kink you have one go and it isn't very hard to figure out  
> get ready for angst lol wilhelm has some serious issues  
> robin has a different kind of issue  
> hehehehehhehehehehehehehehe  
> watching cuttlefish hunting prey videos before writing was a big mistake and simultaneously a great blessing  
> im going to bed now byeeeeeeeeee


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hooh boi, this one is a long one.  
> It's filthy too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I need to go to bed. Apologies for any errors in advance <3

The tears welled in Wilhelm’s eyes as he slammed the door behind him.

He wriggled his way into bed like a pathetic little worm, curled up into a messy ball of monstrous parts and hid himself under his blankets. With the knowledge that he was safe and alone, the tears overflowed and spilled from his eyes. He begged his body to change back. He wanted to be free of this ugly, grotesque shape. He focused, squeezing his eyes shut and attempted to force a change, no matter how minute he just wanted to see progress. He needed something. Anything. No matter how much he pleaded and begged, nothing would transform. It all became too much, and he began to sob. His muffled cries came out as ugly rasps and garbles from his inhuman vocal cords.

Wilhelm hated this form. He hated all of it. He longed to be human again. This fluidity and size made him feel so vile he could shrivel up and disappear. He refused to look at himself. He simply couldn’t. The vivid memory of how his body had been broken and snapped without a warning added another wound to his fragile state. He didn’t even have the chance to dissolve his nerves and weaken his bones before it all shattered as if it were glass. The whole process had been excruciating and yet he couldn’t make a sound. He could almost feel the burn and mind breaking pain of being ripped apart all at once. He had eaten himself alive, bit into his flesh, chewed up his face, ripped his bones into shards all in order to grow into this wretched creature! And he had not chosen this. He had not desired this change. He did not give himself permission to transform and yet, he had been forced to.

He had been betrayed! Stabbed in the back! Hurt by the very man he tried so hard to please! He knew exactly what had poisoned his system. He knew it well. He sometimes used it in solutions and experiments, but it was never so… potent. It was normally harmless unless consumed in large amounts, but this time the mere smell had destroyed him. It meant that Robin had gone above and beyond to harm him. He had gone so far behind his back to punish him without a good reason. That was the true pain in all of this. The hunter had spiked his blood. Robin did this to him. Robin betrayed his trust. He hurt him on purpose, despite everything he had done for him. He had fed him, been friendly, offered him a place to stay and everything he could possibly want and yet, in return for his kindness he had been poisoned. Robin had made a mockery of it. Robin had made a mockery of him! And so here he was, crying black tears like a demon’s child.

How could he possibly fix this? How could he make this work _now_? After this it might just be unsalvageable. The hunter was not interested and he would only continue down this route. Eventually, he would find a weapon and kill him. That was how it would be. And that would be the end of him. It was the end _they_ foretold for him. He would not allow it to happen and yet, what could he do? It seemed that Robin would never like him. How could he enjoy the company of something as monstrous as himself? Robin had seen all of him. Every disgusting part. All of it. _Everything_. Robin despised the very thought of him now. He hated his guts. He would never look at him the same way ever again. He was just a _thing_ to him now, not a person. He was just another vampire to be killed and thrown in the ground.

He let out a choked sound as his breath hitched. He couldn’t stand the growl and the snarl in his voice, even when he cried and wailed it still sounded like a roar. In frustration, Wilhelm slammed his fists against the pillows. The sounds were only a reminder that he was nothing more than a creature. He was a mere abomination to be scowled at. Without a human face he was nothing!

All of this had served as a cruel reminder that he hadn’t changed at all. He was still a predator. A pervert. A _fetishist_.

It was that thought that broke him. Even though he had run so far from home and so far from all of his problems, he could not escape them. He was a victim of his own desire, unable to control himself like an addict. His sobs against the pillow grew louder and felt the tears splashing against the material like raindrops on a roof.

Wilhelm had come so close to hurting Robin. He had nearly done something unforgivable. If he hadn’t come to his senses when he did, he would have taken advantage of him like an animal. He had seen that look in Robin’s eyes. That familiar, empty stare that had been oh so common in the family thralls. He had come so close to doing as he had done before. He nearly relapsed. He had nearly come undone. He had seen the hunter below him and so very eager. But it wasn’t excitement created by something pure, no, it had been forced by him. He nearly forced the man to be his mate. The thought now was enough to make him feel sick. He knew it to be so very wrong. But in the moment, it had been that complete and utter control that seduced him. The high that had come from the prospect of having Robin’s every desire, every thought and every feeling at his fingertips had brought out his most carnal desires. He could still feel that animalistic, illogical instinct flooding his brain, even though it was all over it refused to leave.

Wilhelm attempted to transform once more to no avail. His flesh would not transform. His tentacles remained boneless, his fingers clawed and his eyes dark. It was a cherry on top of this sickening cake of misfortunes. He tried and he tried again, and though he felt the spasm of mouldable tissue, nothing was altered. That plant was still in his system and it would slowly pass. It would be some time before he could put the mask of a pretty human back on. 

He was trapped like this, in an ugly reminder of his shame.

He held himself tighter and rocked back and forth, clutching his terrible form for comfort. He relinquished his control of his tentacles, allowing them to roam. They wandered around the room, exploring by touch or perhaps, searching for they prey they had gripped so tightly just minutes ago.

**~***~**

It all felt like a bizarre fever dream to Robin.

From the dizzy memories to the nightmarish creature that had simultaneously haunted that dream and blessed it, he wasn’t sure to believe his own memories. He couldn’t possibly have imagined it. He hadn’t gone mad just yet. And besides, there was physical evidence. For one, his room had been completely trashed. The walls had been battered by splatters of what looked to be ink – he knew for a fact that it was not. He didn’t want to think about what it really was. A little puddle of Wilhelm’s blood had formed on the ground. It was a swirling concoction of red blood and that weird ink. His lamp had been tipped over at some stage and the bulb had shattered into a million pieces all over the place. When he looked at himself, it only became clearer that he hadn’t imagined any of it. Parts of him had been seemingly lathered in some oily liquid. That was evidence he simply couldn’t ignore.

Out of curiosity, he brushed it with his fingers, collecting it. He examined it on his fingertips. It was sort of like melted honey; in that it was smooth and thick but still very much a fluid. He looked to it, pondered it and then with only slight hesitation, placed a finger in his mouth. The fluid was slightly salty but had a distinctive sour aftertaste, like plant sap. It wasn’t at all unpleasant. Robin couldn’t believe himself. Here he was practically licking a strange juice because he was curious, like a child wondering whether or not to try flour straight up.

Regardless of that thought, he kept going. He felt the wetness on his arms, on his chest and on his legs. He remembered being held so tightly by those _things_ and how they had stroked and cuddled him. The strangest part was that he recalled liking it. He could still imagine the heat and soothing pressure on his body and how it had been relieving and so very comforting. He touched the oozing bite on his neck and he could almost still feel those teeth puncturing his skin and suckling the blood from him. With yet more slick on his fingers, he debated trying it again. He examined his shining hands in the light as he thought it over.

He had a better idea.

Robin allowed his hands to trail downwards. He closed his eyes, imagining that they were not his own. He traced his inner thighs and shuddered at the sensitivity. He crept towards his abdomen and just teased himself. It struck him that he was already hard. He wanted to tell himself that it was just because of all the touching and closeness but that would be a lie. He couldn’t fool himself with something as flimsy as that. He knew there was more to it. This arousal had been created by something dark within himself. That dark part of him thought of that creature with a smile. That part did not fear it or feel disgust. It only felt a twisted adoration and desire. His morality knew better, it wanted to flee and to turn up his nose in response to the vile thing. He was – no, _had_ _been_ \- a hunter for god’s sake! He wasn’t supposed to feel like this, especially not for a pure vampire. There was _nothing_ human about him and yet, he was all worked up as if Wilhelm was just another bloke.

But Wilhelm was just that. And simultaneously not. That was the confusing part. The thought of seeing human Wilhelm nude was not necessarily appealing but contrarily, the thought of that monstrous version of him so bare and exposed brought _this_ out in him. Even now, thinking of his gaunt physique, grotesque face and writhing mass of tendrils brought an unwelcome heat to his face. He felt an involuntary twitch and the pooling of heat. He knew that there was something wrong with him if he liked this. And the kicker was that he always had desired this, deep down. In the past, he had merely stifled it with other, purer thoughts. But now, he had been confronted with it and it could no longer be pushed down below the surface to never be seen again. It would rise above everything else and he was forced to acknowledge just how disgusting he was.

But why did it matter? Robin was trapped here now, probably for the rest of his damned life. It wasn’t like he was even a hunter anymore. He had left that behind. He was his own man now. He could be as disgusting as he wanted. It wasn’t like anyone would see or know. He could get off to whatever the hell he wanted, no matter how vile it was.

He was just another sicko and that was that.

It was that filth and despicableness of it that had him so hooked. There was no stopping himself now. With only a twinge of guilt, he nestled his eager cock in his hand and used the wetness on his body as lube. The slickness was perfect for what he intended and it made him wonder if that fluid was meant to be used as lubricant or if it was just a coincidence. Either way, he couldn’t complain. It wasn’t long before a lewd fantasy took the place of reality.

It was a lustful, perverse fantasy where his free will had been sucked out along with his blood. He was to be a vampire’s plaything in this little dream, willing to do anything to please. He would be bound and restrained by tentacles on his limbs. He wouldn’t fight back, nor would he have any desire to. He imagined feeling that long tongue rolling down his neck and the heat of hungry breaths on his skin. The vampire would bite him over and over, marking him as its own with its teeth. Robin would be numb to pain and respond with delight to being branded by something so powerful and exotic. He pretended that his busy hand was a tendril wrapped around his cock and his lips parted in a silent moan.

Robin couldn’t help but pump his cock faster. God, how he wanted it. He wanted to feel those tentacles coil around his thighs and to spread him out wide so that their master could ram itself inside of him. It wouldn’t ask. It wouldn’t even warn him. It would just force its way in because it knew that it owned him. It would be rough, passionate and bestial, with each thrust pounding into him. He imagined that the vampire would purr and moan as it rutted and bucked.

Robin felt an impulse so overwhelmingly powerful that he couldn’t ignore it. He gathered up more wet on his fingers and coated them with it. He took in a deep breath and let one finger slide into his entrance. He started slow, allowing himself to get used to it. He gently pushed it all the way in and all the while felt his chest grew tight and his mind raced with excitement. Once comfortable, he put another in and felt the pleasant, familiar stretch inside of himself. He imagined the vampire’s cock having that same effect if not more from its girth. He could picture the creature smiling pleasantly with pointed teeth and long, bloodied fangs as it began to thrust into him. All the tendrils would grip him tighter as it did so, hoping to do the impossible and hold him still. He forced his fingers in and out of himself without relent in order to simulate his vivid imagination. Wet sounds of pleasure punctuated every movement, but he couldn’t care less about who or what heard him. All that mattered was getting off. It had been pent up in his system for so long and to finally get it all out without shame was a gift in itself. He hit his prostate and filthy sounds escaped his mouth, quietly begging his phantom lover for more.

He was already so close. He could feel it. Robin’s movements became desperate and lost rhythm. His mind pictured depraved, fervid sex where his beastly proprietor was haphazardly thrusting in and out of him with speed and an unrivalled vigour. He matched that fantasy and stroked himself faster. He felt the pressure building as he came closer and closer to his climax. He was panting now, waiting to reach euphoria. Dirty pleas escaped his lips, uttering the creature’s name and begging for it harder and faster. He fucked himself harder, all the while picturing the vampire’s erect, girthy penis forcing its way through him and hitting his prostrate on every thrust. The thought of a monster’s seed spilling into him, filling him up and defiling him was far too much and it threw him over the edge.

His orgasm was violent and loud. He let the vile sounds of pleasure escape him as cum spurted from his cock. He was left breathless and panting. When he finally opened his eyes, the disappointment of reality hit.

Robin fetched a tissue, cleaned up the more disgraceful elements of the mess in his room and called for a servant.

*******

By nightfall, his room was just as it was before. It was spotless, with a new lamp to boot. He emerged from his clean blankets like a zombie out of a grave. He’d taken a quick nap and felt more energised than before. The smell of dinner wafted in from the kitchen and his stomach rumbled. He was anticipating a filling meal after today. It had taken a lot out of him and a full stomach would replenish his energy. He stretched out and yawned. While waiting, he decided to have a look into that book Wilhelm had given him. He opened to the contents page and was pleasantly surprised. It seemed to be organised and extensive with headings and subheadings for several topics. However, many were marked ‘incomplete’. Curious as to why, he jumped to the ‘about’ page. It detailed a little biography about the author, who was a vampire in the Ludwig family – as Wilhelm had said. However, he neglected to mention that the author had been killed by hunters before he could finish the book. It was a grim start to be sure.

He started simple, with physiology. He was incredibly curious about how the bastards worked, especially after today. He was first greeted by full, labelled diagrams of males and females. Wilhelm hadn’t been lying. He fit the bill for a male perfectly. Looking at the shilahs of the vampire world, he swallowed dryly. The only way he could describe them was like female spiders, in that they were a lot bigger than the males. They sported four arms, sabretooth like fangs, human-like breasts, four eyes and what looked to be an insect’s wings. He shuddered. They looked like they could probably eat a person in one go.

There was an amusing scrawl of words next to the diagram.

_As men, we have a saying. ‘’Don’t pick a fight with the wife.’’_

He cracked a smile at that. It seemed the author had a sense of humour.

He turned over and his smile vanished. On the page were graphically detailed sketches of organs, all of which looked more like alien guts than actual organs. The stomach was like a series of sacs, all of which apparently stored blood to be slowly consumed. It also showed the organs in different sizes and shapes, apparently to fit a certain shape. Then there was a comparison of a human and vampire heart. There were drawings of eyes, tongues, skin and all the rest of it. The fangs were hollow inside and were almost like straws, with channels for blood to enter the body through. He didn’t bother to read all the scientific rubbish. When he turned over, he felt a boyish excitement come over him. This was the good bit. He was both frightened and excited for what he would see. He felt like a kid again, laughing at the biology books from school. However, he didn’t get a chance to laugh.

A knock sounded against his door and he slammed the book shut in a hurry.

‘’Dinner is ready.’’ Their voice was soft and he almost missed it.

He waited for them to be long gone before leaving the room. He descended the staircase and went into the dining room, where a plate full of food had been laid out for him. He pulled out his chair and sat down. Tonight it was fish with a marvellous selection of roast veggies. He was delighted. Fish like this always reminded him of going fishing with his family in the summers. However, when he looked around the table, he noticed he was the only one dining. Wilhelm was nowhere to be seen. He was not pleasantly watching him eat or ready to make idle conversation. He was just… gone.

It made his guts churn. It was a clear indicator that something was amiss.

As he ate, he began to feel worry. The sinking feelings in his stomach and the flutters of his heart gave away that anxiety. He was worried for Wilhelm, knowing that he was yet to come out of his room even after several hours and that he hadn’t heard a peep from inside. His appetite was rapidly fading as the worry churned his guts around and around like a carousel.

He decided to ask. Maybe he had gone out? He grabbed a vampire’s attention. ‘’Mate, where’s Wilhelm? I haven’t seen him all arvo.’’

‘’He is in his room.’’ They said flatly. ‘’He does not want visitors.’’

Then they walked away, leaving him alone with his anxieties. Those words had done nothing to quell them. In fact, he was only more concerned. He poked at his food, no longer hungry. He felt a mix of fear and guilt. Something was wrong and it was all because of him.

He decided that he needed to do something about this. If the bloke had locked himself away in his room, it was a tell-tale sign he wasn’t well. He stood up, pushed his chair in and left his food to go cold. He walked up each step with haste. His steps seemed to echo down the hall. Finally, he reached his destination and he hesitated. Was he ready to do this? He decided that he had to do it, ready or not.

He knocked on the door. ‘’Wilhelm?’’ He called and awaited a response.

He heard the rustle of blankets and then his distinctive voice. ‘’Go away, Robin.’’ The words came out garbled and almost strangled but he understood them perfectly.

‘’Wilhelm, c’mon, mate… I’m worried about ya.’’ He said gently.

‘’Oh, so _now_ you care about me?’’ He could hear the hiss on his words.

‘’Mate, don’t be silly.’’ He prompted, attempting to ease him. ‘’Can I come in?’’

‘’Absolutely not!’’ The vampire yelled back, growing in volume and conviction. His words sounded twisted and wrong as he spoke them quickly and harshly.

‘’Why not?’’ He asked, knowing the answer full well.

‘’Now you ask _why?_ Do you realise how stupid that makes you sound?!’’ He went quiet again and it was only just audible. ‘’You betrayed my trust, Robin! You betrayed _me!_ ’’ There was a shake in his voice, it quivered and broke until it was shattered entirely. He heard first a whimper and then heard a terrible sound.

Wilhelm began to cry. Loudly. He broke down and his sobs filled the silence.

And then he was yelling with a newfound fury. ‘’LEAVE ME ALONE!’’ It was powerful, yet so very broken. Between the sobbing and the hiccupping, the words were nearly lost. But he caught them in the nick of time. He debated going away, leaving the man to cool off and to unwind but his gut told him he needed to do better. He needed to make this right no matter what because he was the one who fucked up. He caused this. He had upset the vampire. He had betrayed him like this. And now, tears were being spilled because of him and his pettiness. He caused this and that fact practically clubbed him over the head.

‘’Look mate, I know I fucked up.’’ Robin finally admitted it to both Wilhelm and himself. And that fact rang true. He had let spite get to him, to the point where he had deliberately harmed the bloke when he had only been kind to him.

‘’It takes a grown man’s tears to make you sorry?’’ Wilhelm wailed, accusing him from behind the door. ‘’What is _wrong_ with you!?’’

‘’Look, I can explain, jus’ lemme in.’’ He begged.

‘’No! I won’t let you in. I don’t want you to see me like this.’’ His voice broke again and he heard the harsh, almost choked sounds of his weeping.

‘’I want to make this right, Wilhelm. We can talk this out.’’

‘’No, no, no! You do not have the right to go in here after what you’ve done to me.’’ It came out as a whimper.

‘’Please, Wilhelm. I’m sorry.’’ He begged.

There was only silence on the other end. Wilhelm was ignoring him now.

‘’Look, I made a big mistake. I let my fuckin’ anger get in the way of reason and it was unfair of me to cheat our deal like that.’’ He apologised and was prepared to do it again and again. He knew he couldn’t leave things the way they were. ‘’Can’t ya forgive me?’’

‘’It is not that easy, Robin. You have no idea what I went through because of you _._ ’’

‘’I know it was real shit of me to hurt you like this.’’ He sighed out. ‘’You’re tryin’ so hard to be nice to me and to make this sorta good, y’know? And that stuff is appreciated, even if I’m too much of a cunt to admit it. I’ve cooked this for the both of us and I want to fix it.’’ He chuckled anxiously, hoping to add a bit of levity to this mess. ‘’I’m really sorry for all of this. I didn’t know what I was gettin’ into. Please, jus’ let me in. I want to talk this out.’’ 

The door opened slowly but surely. Just enough of a gap opened up for him to slip through. The moment he went inside, the door closed behind him. Something familiar brushed up against his arm and when he looked, he realised that a tentacle had closed the door. He finally looked to the bed and felt a whole tidal wave of different things. At first, it was shock, which transformed into curiosity and then into acceptance and finally, into pity.

‘’You’re still…’’ He mustered before trailing off. The overwhelming sights devoured his words. ‘’Can’t ya change back?’’ He asked, feeling stupid for even saying something so obvious.

Wilhelm was laying in the bed, with tentacles splayed all over the room, wriggling and slithering about. He was far more sluggish than them, with his head propped up against the pillow and clutching his chest tightly as if he were cold. His eyes were no longer dark, instead, they were completely white, like pearls. Tear stains had cut red lines into his face and dark droplets fell from his eyes like drops of ink. It had marked his face like running mascara.

Seeing him talk was so strange, as his teeth intruded upon the words. ‘’Don’t you think that I’ve tried that?!’’ Wilhelm snarled in a sudden rage. His teeth were bared and he was worried that the bloke would bite him. ‘’I have tried and tried again but I will not change nor will I be able to for days! _Days_!’’ He grew louder and saliva dripped from his teeth, unable to be contained. The anger had driven him into an almost feral state. His claws were digging into the bed, as if ready to strike. ‘’I am stuck like this because of you.’’ He was grabbed by the collar of his shirt and pulled in close. The possibility of being bitten was now very real. ‘’Tell me why you did this, Robin. Tell me honestly.’’ He growled.

‘’I was… angry with ya. I jus’ thought that some payback was justified, seein’ as you locked me in this place and all. But—‘’ He didn’t get a chance to finish.

‘’—But _what_? Was my kindness not good enough for you? What else do you need from me?!’’ Robin could feel the heat from the vampire’s breaths. They nearly burned, as if there was a fire in his mouth. 

‘’It wasn’t fair of me to pull shit like that.’’ He admitted. ‘’You’ve made a real effort to make this good and I haven’t appreciated it like a fuckin’ brat.’’ He felt the vice grip on his collar loosen. ‘’It was real petty of me to cheat our deal. I know that and I’m sorry.’’

‘’This was a mistake.’’ He whimpered before hiding his face with his gaunt, long hands. ‘’I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t yell at you like that.’’

He felt a disgust emerge within himself as he approached. It wasn’t because he despised the way Wilhelm appeared – it came from the way he thought of it. He didn’t mind this look for him. While yes, his perversions had idealised this form, in reality, it was still a marvel. Even without the illusions, happy feelings and interference in his brain, he didn’t feel any animosity, repulsion or fear. While he certainly wouldn’t call it beautiful or pretty, he wasn’t disgusted by it either. It was more curiosity and a desire to understand what he was seeing. He had no desire to run or scream. And because of that, he sat beside him.

He didn’t mind. Maybe in time, he could like this look. This was still Wilhelm. He was still a gentle man who wanted to make him happy. He was still trying to do what was best for him. He was still… _him_. He was just bearing a different face.

And Robin had royally screwed him over.

Gently, he pried Wilhelm’s hands away from his face. He looked the bloke right in the eyes. ‘’Don’t say that. There’s no surprises anymore, mate. I’ve seen ya, okay?’’ Without pupils, it was hard to tell if Wilhelm was looking back. All he could see was that empty whiteness.

‘’But look at me.’’ He said so softly that he strained to hear it. ‘’I’m _hideous._ ’’ He wailed and then more tears spilled from his eyes in a flood.

‘’Hey, hey, Wilhelm, mate… It’s okay. You’re not hideous. There’s nothin’ to be upset about.’’ He held those gaunt hands and squeezed them.

‘’There is plenty! For one, I nearly hurt you, Robin. I nearly… gott, I can’t even say it.’’ He mustered between hiccups. Despite being a wreck, he was still him, even in the way he spoke. He saw the vampire bare his teeth and then he gathered the confidence to say it. ‘’I… I nearly took advantage of you.’’ He barely choked the words out before he became a sobbing mess.

It all clicked into place. In the foggy, elated memories, he remembered it. He remembered being positioned like a doll, unable to protest or fight. It formed a pit in his stomach, to have those images still so fresh in his mind. ‘’I know, Wilhelm.’’ 

There was a pause, filled with a volatile mix of horror and shock. ‘’Why aren’t you angry? I don’t understand. Why don’t you hate me?’’ He covered his face again as the tears spilled onto his cheeks.

He wasn’t sure how to word it, or even if he was ready to say it. Instead, he opted for something more vague. ‘’It’s complicated.’’

‘’I don’t understand you, Robin. What I did to you was utterly unforgivable and I’m not sure how you can simply… forgive it.’’ His words were shaky and broken as he uttered them.

‘’I can tell you why I could forgive it.’’ He forced those words out of his mouth. He knew what was to come. ‘’I jus’ need you to come a little closer.’’

‘’Why?’’

‘’I’m about to tell you a little secret of mine.’’ He beckoned the vampire over. Reluctantly, he inched closer until they were almost nose to nose. He took a breath and gained the courage to say it. ‘’I can forgive it because I was never upset in the first place.’’ He whispered.

‘’I don’t… I don’t understand.’’ Wilhelm muttered.

He had to state it clearly. Robin knew there would be no turning back from this point. ‘’I think I liked it, Wilhelm.’’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OH SHIT WHAT 
> 
> hahahahahahaha i'm so mean to you lot, always teasing the hell out of you


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which a certain someone comes back!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The angst is over at last!

When those words spilled from his lips, the whole world froze. Wilhelm looked at him with wide eyes, mouth agape and recoiled from the shock. It was as if the weight of those words had crushed him completely. His mouth moved, as if to make out sentences but nothing came out. He took a deep breath and shook his head in utter disbelief. ‘’You don’t understand what you’re saying, Robin.’’ He said sombrely.

‘’I know pretty damn well what I said and I meant it.’’ Robin insisted, jabbing the vampire’s chest with his index.

‘’You must be mistaken.’’ He whimpered, unable to accept it.

‘’I’m not.’’ He replied with certainty.

Wilhelm held his ground and his words maintained their certainty. ‘’You’re lying to me, Robin. I understand that you’re trying to make me feel better about what I’ve done but I won’t accept dishonesty. What I did was horrible and I don’t deserve your condolences. You should not berate yourself like this for my sake.’’

‘’I’m not ‘berating’ myself. I’m jus’ tellin’ ya the truth! You need to know that I have preferences, jus’ like you do.’’

Wilhelm’s claws dug into the bed, coming close to tearing the fabric. ‘’Stop it, Robin! Stop telling me—‘’

‘’—Why is it so hard to believe that I’m a fuckin’ freak?!’’ Robin grabbed the vampire by the throat and forced his head forward, bringing them nose to nose. He could see those bulky, pointed teeth glistening in the light and even though they could tear him apart with ease from this distance, he felt no fear. He had to be brutally honest, he had to practically beat the man with the harshest of truths in order to get his point across. He wouldn’t believe anything if he kept beating around the bush and narrowly dancing around the subject. Robin looked into Wilhelm’s white, pearly eyes and blurted his darkest secret. ‘’When ya nicked off out’a my room, I snapped out of that trance ya put on me and y’know what I did?’’

He heard Wilhelm take a shuddery breath. ‘’No, Robin… no. Don’t continue, please. I don’t need to know.‘’

It felt as if he was freeing himself of a heavy burden, letting it fly away out of his life. ‘’I jerked off to the thought of what could’ve been.’’ With that, the beginning of an argument fizzled out like a weak flame that had run out of fuel.

Wilhelm froze up entirely and he stammered on his words, making them an incoherent mess of syllables and sounds. His words caught on his tongue and he forced them out, gritting his teeth and averting his gaze. ‘’You must be lying to me...’’ His voice quaked and shook, broken by shock. ‘’You wouldn’t say things like that so _lightly…_ ’’

‘’If ya don’t believe me, get in my bloody head and take a look for yourself! I’m not bullshittin’.’’ He snapped, desperate to get it through to him.

The vampire gave in. ‘’…Forgive me for this.’’ Wilhelm said as the white in his eyes turned dark, as if the depths of the void swallowed the light whole. The dark consumed him too, trapping him in its tight embrace. It coiled around him and refused to let go. He felt a foreign, cold presence slide through him like water, running through his system. There were no voices this time, only a raw, overpowering command that flooded his brain, ordering him to divulge his secrets and to offer it all with brutal honesty. There was no room for fabrication, lies or even half-truths.

He followed that order without hesitation. Disobedience would not be tolerated. ‘’I was not lying.’’ He said flatly, obeying the vampire’s wishes.

The light returned and he escaped the void. ‘’Oh, gott…’’ He mumbled, sounding weak. Wilhelm buried his head in his hands, hiding himself from view. ‘’What are we going to do, Robin?’’ His voice quaked and his claws dug into his face, desperate for a solution. ‘’This is all so… _twisted_ …’’ He whined, nearing to tears.

‘’Nothin’ has to change.’’ Robin said, putting a hand on Wilhelm’s shoulder. ‘’We can jus’ pretend like this didn’t happen.’’

Wilhelm raised his head. His eyes were watery and his lip trembling. ‘’But this changes everything! We can’t simply go back to what once was after _this_.’’

‘’It’s not such a big deal.’’

‘’I… It is...’’ He whimpered. ‘’We’re both… _sick…_ ’’

‘’Look, jus’ think of it as I know a little more about you and you know a little more about me.’’

‘’…I suppose It’s not so bad when you put it like that.’’ Wilhelm mumbled.

He patted the vampire on the back. His body was far bonier than he anticipated, and he could just about feel every bump in his spine. ‘’See? It can all go back to how it was.''

*******

Only when he heard a distinctive, impatient thud against the door the next morning did he remember that Jeremy was coming over. So much had happened that it had almost been wiped from his mind entirely. For a moment, panic fluttered through him. What was he to say to his mate? Could he even tell him what happened? Would Wilhelm be okay with that? Would Jeremy even be okay with it?

No. Of course he wouldn’t be. The kid was still a hunter. Sure he wasn’t the most loyal of the bunch but he still carried a hatred for vampires. That hatred would bleed into Robin if he even mentioned his preferences. And he’d probably despise Wilhelm even more than he already did.

Robin thought to keep the whole thing to himself. It would be easier that way.

A servant opened the door and he braced himself. As soon as he saw the bloke, instinct took over and he practically ran to him. Robin put his arms around the kid and hugged him tight. ‘’I’ve missed ya, mate!’’ He said, allowing the joy to saturate his voice until the sounds dripped with it.

‘’I can tell!’’ Jeremy wheezed. He realised he was holding him too tight and let go. ‘’Thank fuck I thought you were gonna choke me out.’’ He laughed. ‘’Uh, I missed’cha too.’’ He scratched at his chestnut hair awkwardly. ‘’Anyways, where’s that vampire guy? He needs a good thrashing, don’t’cha think?’’ He punched the air, as if to practice. His brown eyes wandered around the manor, looking for Wilhelm.

‘’He’s in his room.’’ He gestured to the upstairs area.

‘’Oh. Is he scared’a me or somethin’? I knew he was weak!’’ He chuckled. The kid tended to talk with such volume that the other side of the planet could probably hear him. He knew that Wilhelm certainly could, whether he wanted to or not.

‘’We’re not givin’ him a beatin’, mate.’’ He said, putting a hand on Jeremy’s shoulder. ‘’He arranged for a peace offerin’ for ya.’’ He walked over to the fridge and opened it out wide to put the sodas on display. ‘’And I quote…’’ He cleared his throat and put on a softer voice, imitating a German accent very poorly and recalled Wilhelm’s words. ‘’I normally wouldn’t allow these in the manor because of their unrivalled ability to ruin carpets, blankets or otherwise, but because your friend enjoys them, he is entitled to have them.’’ It hurt to do his voice but the grin on the kid’s face made it worth it.

Jeremy cackled like a hyena. ‘’Should I tip one on the carpet to fuck with him?’’ He snagged a can with no hesitation.

He stopped the kid from doing anything stupid. ‘’No, Jeremy. He’s been nice so don’t ruin his bloody carpets, aight?’’

‘’Fine…’’ He groaned and cracked the can open. He took a swig, and his scowl became a boyish smile.

Robin fetched himself a beer out of the fridge. There were only a few in there, definitely not enough to get him drunk. He figured that was on purpose. He popped the cap with his teeth and took a drink. ‘’I’ve missed this, y’know.’’ He said to the kid, smiling warmly. He was almost nostalgic for the feeling of holding a cold one in his mate’s company.

‘’Yeah. It’s been torture without’cha. I got paired up with this other hunter and he’s such a grumpy know-it-all I feel like socking him right in the jaw! Only problem is he looks like a bodyguard on steroids. I swear, he’s always got some sort of magical muscle shake on him. They stink like old boots!’’ He spoke faster and faster as he went, venting his problems out into the open air into attentive ears.

‘’Shit. That’s unlucky. I was hopin’ you’d get paired up with that lovely shila…’’ He took another swig of his beer.

Jeremy knew who he was talking about instantly and a giddy smile blossomed on his lips like a joyous flower. ‘’Damn! That would’ve been so good.’’ He sighed. ‘’She brought in an apple pie for us the other day and holy shit was it good. I’d kill to have some’a that while shooting some bloodsuckers!’’ He remembered that Robin hadn’t been there and began a whole new conversation. ‘’So, when are ya coming back to work?’’ 

‘’Never, I don’t think.’’ He saw the kid’s eyes widen. ‘’And I quit anyway. I was jus’ so sick of the boss’ rubbish that I had to get out’a there.’’

‘’Aw, ya really let Dennis of all people get under your skin?’’

He merely shrugged.

‘’So what do ya do even do around here if you quit? Sit around? Work out? Jerk off? Watch movies?’’ He spoke in a flurry, chattering like a curious bird.

‘’I’ve been explorin’ the manor a bit. It’s a pretty big place and I dunno, it’s kinda nice to browse through all the old, musty rooms. Oh, I’ve actually been readin’ a little bit as well.’’

‘’No fuckin’ way, chucklenuts. You don’t read. I bet you _can’t_ read.’’ He scoffed in disbelief.

‘’Nah, I have been!’’ He replied. ‘’Wilhelm gave me this book and its all about his family and pureblood vampires and shit. It’s real interestin’, even if I have’ta skip most’a the words because it’s scientific nonsense.’’

‘’Sounds about as fun as spending an hour in the boss’ office.’’ He chuckled.

‘’Nah, boss’ office is way worse. That’s what hell looks like, I reckon. All plain, no fun and with awful jazz in the background.’’ He laughed, remembering that sterile office vividly.

‘’Yeah, Dennis is prolly’ the devil’s right hand man.’’

‘’Anyway, we should probably get out’a the kitchen. The servants are tryin’ to make lunch.’’ He gestured to the busy people all around them, who were fetching pots, pans and lighting the stove. He led the kid upstairs and he marvelled at the rustic, almost gothic design. He opened the door to his bedroom and beckoned the kid inside only for him to ignore it entirely.

He was looking down the hall. ‘’That Wilhelm’s room?’’

‘’Yeah.’’ He began to walk down the hallway and Robin grabbed him by the arm. ‘’Woah there, mate. I wouldn’t interrupt him if I were you. He’s nappin’, y’see.’’ That was a blatant lie. ‘’Gorged himself on my blood and now he’s out cold.’’

‘’Greedy bastard.’’ The kid scowled.

‘’Some good came out of it, though.’’ He offered a silver lining to counter the kid’s bitterness. ‘’We’re not havin’ screamin’ matches anymore, at least.’’ He said as he entered the bedroom.

Jeremy trailed behind, talking his head off. ‘’I guess you could call that good.’’ The bloke snickered. ‘’I bet you two are buddies now, huh? What do ya do? Sip wine in the afternoons and listen to his boring old people stories?’’ He could almost taste the bitter and disgustingly sour jealousy on the kid’s words.

‘’We’re not really friends. We jus’ tolerate each other now, I s’pose.’’ He felt that it was a little more than just living together relatively peacefully. It was a little bit more intimate now, seeing as they knew deep secrets about one another. Strangers typically didn’t share that sort of knowledge with each other. He settled for the idea that maybe they were roommates on friendly terms. That at least felt right. Maybe they could be friends. Maybe not. He wasn’t sure.

‘’Don’t talk shit. You two have prolly’ frenched already.’’ He joked. ‘’Y’know what they say, don’t’cha? Shove two people in a room together and eventually they’ll bang.’’

‘’It sounds like ya want me to fuck him. I thought ya hated his guts.’’ He put on an interrogative tone, as if to thoroughly question the kid.

‘ _’I_ hate his guts, but you obviously don’t. Ya haven’t even killed him yet and I bet’cha haven’t even tried to! In your shoes I would’ve blown his fucking brains out by now.’’ He said, chuffed with himself. ‘’So yeah, I don’t care what you do with him, seeing as ya like him so much. If it makes you happy, man, go ahead and get yourself some vampire di—‘’

‘’—I never said I wanted to shag him, Jesus, Jeremy. Ya need to – as ya tend to put it – chill out.’’

He slurped up his soda, deliberately making wet noises as he gulped it down. ‘’That’s gonna be you.’’ He taunted, winking at him and raising his eyebrows.

‘’Shut it.’’ He retorted.

A knock thumped against the door. Both of them immediately halted their conversation and snapped around to look at whatever was at the door. It turned out to be a servant, holding a small dish of treats. It had small biscuits, chocolate almonds and scones. ‘’I insist that if you plan to eat in here that you have it on the desk. Wilhelm does not appreciate messes.’’

The servant placed the food on the desk. Jeremy eagerly snatched up a biscuit and nibbled on it like a rabbit munching on lettuce. He disregarded the suggestion completely and instead ate the cookie on Robin’s bed, dropping crumbs all over not only the floor but his blankets as well.

‘’Mate, I know ya probably love crumbs in your sheets but I bloody don’t.’’ He scolded the kid with a smile.

He got up and opted to sit on his desk table instead. ‘’Whatever.’’ He grumbled, shrugging of Robin’s slight agitation. He looked to the window and his brows creased at the view. ‘’Does he let you go out into town? I’d go bonkers in here.’’ He said, eyes darting to the garden.

‘’I haven’t asked but I reckon the answer would be a firm ‘no’.’’ Robin said. ‘’Wilhelm was pretty reluctant to even have ya over. You’re not armed, are ya?’’

‘’I wouldn’t go into a vampire’s lair without a gun! Are you nuts?!’’ He cried out.

He still felt a foreign presence at the door and turned to see the servant still standing there. He thought it was odd, seeing as they were out as soon as they had done what they had to. When he looked at their face, however, it made more sense. He recognised them immediately. ‘’Sorry, Jeremy. I gotta go for a second.’’ He said to the kid, forcing a little smile. He turned to the servant and leaned in. ‘’I need to have a word with ya.’’ He whispered.

He walked out of the room and down the hall. He checked to see if they were following and then went to the loungeroom to chat. He wanted to make sure it was all out of earshot. The moment he opened his mouth to speak a thousand different questions exploded into his head.

‘’You!’’ He said, pointing to them. ‘’Ya didn’t tell me that damned leaf would—‘’

‘’Not so loud.’’ They hissed, rudely shushing him with a finger. ‘’I didn’t tell you because I knew you wouldn’t use it if I told you exactly what it would do to Wilhelm.’’

‘’You _bastard_.’’ He snarled. ‘’You have no fuckin’ idea what it did. It fucked everythin’ up.’’

‘’That was the intent.’’ They shrugged the blatant insult off. ‘’I don’t care about what you wanted. That bastard got what was coming to him. If he thinks he can use us as his slaves and lab rats just because we’re not ‘pure blooded’ without retribution, then he has a lot of learning to do.’’ They growled, voice lined with venom. ‘’Maybe he will learn that humans aren’t his harmless little birdies, to be caged. But I have my doubts. Nothing will change. He will soon figure out the weak link and… he’ll cut it at last.’’ It chuckled. ‘’No, no, he would slaughter me, for ruining his _perfect_ plan.’’

‘’Don’t be melodramatic. He’s not the violent sort.’’ The bloke probably couldn’t bear to kill a fly.

‘’Oh, aren’t you gullible!’’ It laughed, mocking him with everything it had. ‘’Even the most dangerous of beasts can pretend to be docile. It seems he has you fooled. Truth is, he’s a—‘’ Their words caught and they gasped as if the air had been squeezed out of their lungs. ‘’He’s listening—‘’ They wheezed, seemingly choking on something. The sounds made Robin feel cold all over. Instinct took over and he slapped them on the back, attempting to clear their airway.

It failed and he quickly realised why.

It was their tongue. It had curled into their throat and seemed to be lodged in there. It dawned on him as a miserable realisation that he couldn’t do a thing. He was helpless. He couldn’t save their life. He just had to watch someone die. Even though he disliked this being, he didn’t want this.

He noticed the smallest of smiles lingering on their lips. Even in their last moments they were humiliating him. Robin felt despair crash over him, destroying him like an enormous, chilling wave. It made him feel cold and guilty, as if he were a killer. When they dropped to the ground, the weight of the deed just about crushed him.

He looked to those lifeless, glossy eyes and watched them turn darker and darker until every colour was consumed in the blackness, leaving an unseeing, hungry void.

It bit into him, churning up a single thought in the violent, thrashing tide of his mind. It drenched every other thought, drowning them and suspending them in place. Everything seemed to freeze in place as words were whispered to him. They were sweet, like honey. They eased the tide, allowed it to sink and turn into still, calm water.

_Rejoice._

_The traitor is dead._

The voice was far softer than he remembered it. It sounded weak and faint as if it were far away and yet he could feel the hiss of the whispers as if they were right in his ears. His mind was parted by what felt like two delicate, gentle hands, opening it up. He felt something burrow deeper and deeper inside, submerging itself inside of him, using him as a sanctuary. He felt it growing stronger as it feasted on his mind. It consumed everything within reach, planting itself there and spreading its roots, anchoring itself inside, making everything that was his its own. It conquered every aspect, taking it all—

Jeremy tapped him on the shoulder and the world fell silent once more. ‘’Hey, you okay? You zonked out for a sec.’’

‘’…Yeah, I’m fine.’’ All of the anger was gone. He looked to the servant and felt only a numbness.

‘’What happened to that bloodsucker?’’ Jeremy asked, kicking its lifeless body.

He heard a gentle whisper, offering directions as if he were a performer on stage. ‘’Choked on its own tongue,’’ He said. ‘’Unlucky bastard.’’

‘’Probably scared the thing to death!’’ He gave it another kick. ‘’Giving it a scolding like that.’’

He jolted in surprise. ‘’How did ya know?’’

‘’People don’t drag someone out of their room for a private talk unless they’re being told off. My ma used to do it all the time.’’ He smiled boyishly at the memory. ‘’So what did it do? Did it spill your coffee on ya?’’ He spoke quickly, excitedly. He was eager for a response. ‘’Ooh, ooh, did it suck your blood while you were asleep?’’ He grinned madly. ‘’Did it trip you down the stairs?’’

The only thing was that Robin wasn’t sure what to say. ‘’It’s more uh… complicated than that.’’ He chose not to elaborate. Jeremy cocked a brow at him, hoping he would say more. But when the silence endured, he moved on. 

‘’Way to make it awkward, Robin!’’ He cried out, exasperated.

**~***~**

Wilhelm knew that had been a close call. If he had waited another moment, Robin would have learned some… _unnecessary_ details. While he disliked intervening and intruding, that had been necessary. He wished he could have done it faster. If he were as skilled as his father, he could have stopped their heart and created something more instantaneous. He did not have such abilities, at least, not yet. Instead, he had to opt for something crude. That was all he felt guilt for. He had his suspicions and overhearing that conversation had confirmed them. Traitors had to be eliminated. That was how it worked, especially with a Ludwig.

When the deed was done, he’d felt Robin’s overwhelming anger, hatred and shock as a brewing, swirling storm, ready to create a violent downpour. In a moment’s panic, he had crushed any possibility of a hurricane under his boot, leaving something empty in its wake. It was an unnatural calm, one he had induced and injected into the hunter like a poison. He had consumed that fury. Taken it away. He had taken something away from his guest, taken control, eaten his raw emotions like a ravenous monster. There was a saying in the family, that all Ludwigs were doomed to consume the minds of those around them; whether they were prey, strangers, friends or partners. It never mattered. All were puppets by the end, hollowed husks of beings that once had free will. He never thought he was capable of such a thing. He could worm his way inside and pull a few strings but he would never dare to claim it all for himself. But with how much he was intruding upon the hunter’s processes, perhaps he was just like them. He was cut from the same cloth, after all.

Maybe he was doomed to the same fate. Perhaps he would end up with only a puppet on a string rather than a free creature he could call a companion.

Feeling the uncomfortable churning of his guts, he decided that he should move on from this line of thinking.

It occurred to Wilhelm that he was terribly bored and the fact gnawed at him like a starved hound; without relent or pause. Its teeth tore his mind apart, piece by piece as it ripped into it. He needed to do _something._ He needed to stimulate himself to fend off boredom. Unfortunately, the confines of his room limited those options. For the moment, he was trapped. As the thought of confronting Robin’s friend in his state was not a pleasant one. Even if Wilhelm was capable of turning back into a human, he probably would have hid just the same, as it was increasingly evident that the young man was not very fond of him. From the laughter, idiotic threats and mockery, it seemed that hiding was the safest option. It allowed a whole plethora of problems to flourish but said problems could be dealt with if he was creative enough.

He could read, admire the scenery, lose himself in thoughts and daydreams or god forbid, treat himself to a bit of… self-love. That thought was akin to a surprise guest. It came as a shock and poorly attempted to integrate with the rest. It was not welcome. He refused that foul idea and was suddenly disgusted by himself. He had contemplated such a filthy act with a special guest over. It would reflect poorly on him to be caught doing something like that. And yet, the temptation remained. It would be so easy to stifle, he could keep quiet and the doors were locked…

All of this tantalising desire made him wonder if he was going into heat. Coming to think of it, the signs were there. His mind had been wandering into less than savoury places as of late and his focus had been less than adequate. His eyes had developed an unhelpful habit of going off the leash and wandering to places they really shouldn’t. Recently, he had been particularly mindful of his appearance and more elaborate in how he groomed himself. All of those things were as good as blaring sirens.

There was only one way to be sure if this was truly happening. In a moment of paranoia, he ensured the door was locked, despite knowing it was. He parted the sea of tentacles at his abdomen, spreading them out wide to expose a particular modicum of pale flesh. Except, it wasn’t pale as it typically was. It blushed a vibrant pink, richly coloured by blood. He shyly felt along that sensitive place with a daring hand, causing ripples of warmth to tickle his system. A slickness coated his fingertips, warning him of what was to come. For now, everything was tucked away as it should be, but in the coming days, that would change. Unbridled lust would emerge from inside of him, demanding action. He only hoped he could control his urges. More so, he wished that none of this would come to be but being as young as he was, it was inevitable. His body had a tendency to betray him and it seemed that it would be no different this time.

He thought to let Robin know. And though the conversation would be so uncomfortable that he’d want to keel over and die, he would prefer that the man knew how to deal with a needy vampire than be confused and frightened when it happened. Wilhelm knew himself. Robin would be his first temptation in that desperate period, and he would face the ugly brunt of that need.

And again, the burdensome question of what to do arose. From down the hall, he could hear the muffled, gruff voice of the hunter and the high pitched, youthful sounds of his friend. He felt envy’s burn from within, like a flame feeding on a rich supply of oxygen and dry twigs. He wished he could be there and enjoy the company of others. It was lonely in his comfortable prison and he wanted to do more than twiddle his thumbs.

But alas, his wishes were not to be fulfilled. He picked up his book and opened to the bookmarked page. He had to be so very careful as to not rip the paper with his claws. He curled up into bed, allowing his tentacles to curl around his limbs in small, delicate hugs and pulled the blankets over his body.

It wasn’t long before the words allowed him to lose all track of time.

**~***~**

Three beers later, Robin found himself out the back garden, throwing an old fashioned football to Jeremy and fumbling to catch it when it was returned to him. Occasionally the kid would throw a cheeky one, curving it or throwing it too hard to lower his guard. Jeremy’s mouth was busy as the simple game of catch played out, even more so now seeing as he was full of sugar. He’d missed this, even if they were talking about nothing, he still enjoyed it.

As time passed, the sun rose higher into the sky, until it was directly above them, shining down with intensity. It made his skin tingle, letting him know that he would be as red as a salmon by tomorrow. Sweat trickled down his forehead, dampening his hair and back.

‘’…So yeah, my ma wacked him right on the jaw with her purse! I’m telling you, she doen’t take shit from anyone!’’ He burst into laughter at the memory.

‘’Damn, that must be where you get it from.’’ He chuckled. Both the kid and his mum were forces to be reckoned with. The sweltering heat was unbearable, and so he lifted his shirt over his head. The relief was instantaneous and the cool winds graced his body. ‘’Holy shit, that’s so much better!’’ He said, chuffed with himself.

Jeremy certainly wasn’t chuffed. Those dark, lifeful eyes darted to his throat and his brows creased. ‘’Are those bites?’’ He asked, pointing to the red marks in question.

‘’Yeah.’’ He said, instinctually covering it with his hand.

Jeremy stepped closer and shifted his hand away to have a closer look. ‘’Huh. You’d think a guy like Wilhelm would have smaller teeth. I swear the other one you had was tiny.’’ He prodded it with his fingers. ‘’This one is like a bear gave you a nibble!’’

What he neglected to mention was that Wilhelm had changed a lot physically since the last time. ‘’He was pretty hungry this time ‘round, so that doesn’t surprise me.’’

‘’Did it hurt?’’ Rare concern lined his voice like medicine, designed to soothe.

‘’Nah, mate. Not at all.’’ It was better than painless. It had been like a blissful dream.

‘’No way! I’ve seen heaps’a bites and they always hurt. Like, at work I saw a chick get bit and she fucking screamed!’’

‘’I assure ya that I didn’t scream.’’ He tossed his shirt to the ground. ‘’Wilhelm made it real nice for me, actually. It was sorta like bein’ high and nearly asleep at the same time.’’

‘’Wow, lookat’cha… treated like a princess.’’ The Bostonian rolled his eyes. ‘’I figured he’d be a right bitch to you. Do you know why he’s being so nice? People are only nice if they want something, y’know?’’

‘’Other than my blood I’m not sure.’’ He shrugged.

‘’Have you asked him what he wants?’’ Jeremy tossed the ball back to him and he fumbled for it. He hadn’t been expecting the game to resume.

‘’Not directly, nah.’’ He said, throwing the football back. ‘’I don’t think he’d give me an answer. ‘Cause I wanted to know why he picked me for all of this but he avoided that question like the plague.’’ The kid caught the ball with ease. He’d always been a better sportsman. ‘’Maybe it’s a touchy subject.’’

‘’It’s a dick move to leave you in the dark…’’ He grumbled, throwing it back.

‘’I reckon he might think to let me know when he’s ready. I don’t wanna push anythin’.’’ He replied.

‘’Sure, sure, whatever you say, Robin.’’ Jeremy said, not believing his words for even a second. ‘’In my view, sometimes you have to push to get what you want.’’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is quickly becoming very filthy and bizarre but i'm not ashamed (well, only a little)  
> Hooray for vague vampire anatomy but don’t worry it will be elaborated on in time ;)


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This was a nightmare to write and you'll soon understand why  
> this part is weird so prepare yourselves  
> ...the next part is gonna be weird too oops

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also, the lovely string_cheese made fanart for this fic! It's gorgeous and it'd be amazing if you could send them some love! https://archiveofourown.org/works/28093446

Jeremy hopped off the bus. A miserable frown had replaced his goofy grin and he began the short walk home. It felt like a journey and a long one at that. The cool air prickled up the hair on his arms and gave him goosebumps. He held himself, clutching his chest to keep warm. He wished those asshole servants had offered him a coat before they ‘politely’ asked him to leave. Apparently, he couldn’t stay the night for some dumb fucking reason – at ‘Wilhelm’s request’ and now he was out in the cold, walking back home to his mom’s house. What was so bad about letting him stay over? Why couldn’t he stay with his pal? He’d missed the guy so much and he already had to leave! It was unfair. Real unfair.

He knew that the vampire would throw out a whole pile of stupid reasons for why he couldn’t sleep over. It probably had something to do with messes, spills, smells, breaking stuff or some shit like that. But… maybe not. Maybe that dickhead just wanted him out of there. Maybe he was the only thing stopping that damned vamp from ripping into Robin. Maybe Robin got bit the moment he left. What if he was getting hurt? Maybe the dude wanted revenge for all the bloodsuckers he and Robin had killed? He had to shake those thoughts away like the cold. Like a lot of things in his life, he couldn’t do shit about it and it was stupid to think that he could. He just had to deal with it. He couldn’t change this, even if he really wanted to.

Even still, seeing his best friend caged up like a vampire’s pet made him feel sick. It upset his stomach as if he had drunk too much soda. Sometimes, he couldn’t bear to look at it or even think about it. He was so glad that Wilhelm had been napping, as he would have punched the guy if he’d come close. He deserved a lot more than a punch for what he’d done to Robin.

As he stepped inside, he made a promise. If that vampire ever hurt Robin, Jeremy would kill him. He’d shoot him between the eyes or bash him with a bat. It didn’t matter in the end as long as it got the job done.

**~***~**

When Jeremy left, servants took his place. Like hawks, they scooped up the empty cans, crumbs and litter. Others cleaned the grime and removed any trace that a young, messy bloke had been here at all. Like magic, Robin’s bedroom was spick and span once more. Now that the place was spotless, all of the vampires departed, granting him privacy.

He gave the night sky a final look before closing the curtains. He hopped onto his bed and decided he’d lay about in the luxurious blankets for a while, losing himself in his thoughts before nodding off. The moment he rested his head on the pillow, he heard the click of a lock from down the hall and following it, the squeal of a door. He knew that the vampire was finally coming out of his den. Due to the lack of footsteps, he couldn’t tell if Wilhelm was going into his bedroom or moving past it. His movements were practically silent, and he only knew when an appendage slithered through the doorway, grappling onto the leg of a table.

It seemed that his sleep would have to wait.

Its owner shyly glided in, with his eyes glued to the floor. Wilhelm looked calm, if not a touch worried. His movements were fluid and he flowed like a snake. He avoided Robin’s gaze and forced a small smile and met his eyes for just a moment before looking away again.

‘’Good evening, Robin.’’ He said quietly.

‘’Evenin’.’’ He said back, curious as to what he was doing in here. He found himself to be mesmerised by the vampire’s movements. He could twist, bend and glide with a seductive flexibility, as if there were no bones in his body to limit him. And such litheness showed off his monstrous yet captivating features. 

The vampire stopped in front of his bed and his tentacles spread out, allowing him to lower down to the ground, as if he were crouching. ‘’…It’s nice to be out of that room.’’ Wilhelm spoke clumsily and the words came out broken as if he was readjusting to speaking. ‘’It was terribly boring in there.’’ There was a slight tremble in his voice. ‘’And a little lonely, if I am to be honest.’’

He looked to the vampire’s white eyes, curious as to why he was here other than a hello. ‘’I imagine it would be, yeah.’’ He nodded. ‘’So, why are ya here?’’

He looked up and gritted his oversized teeth. Nervous, he scratched at his pointed ears. He often wondered how often Wilhelm cut himself with those pointed talons. ‘’I… I learned of something while I was cooped up in my bedroom… I’m not sure how to explain it in an appropriate way…’’ He trailed off and a blush rose up on his bony cheeks. He could see his tendrils stroking and tapping furniture, as if they were fidgeting.

‘’Out with it, then.’’ He shrugged. He didn’t like beating around the bush like this. He’d rather have a clear answer.

Wilhelm took in a deep, weighty breath. Those eyes failed to meet his as he said it. ‘’To put it bluntly, I’m going into heat.’’ He said it softly, with palpable fear in his voice. Robin was taken aback for a moment. He had no idea that he was capable of such a thing. ‘’And I thought it was pertinent to…’’ He choked on his words, unable to say them. ‘’…Let you know because… well, you know exactly why, don’t you?’’ He turned away, face turning a pale pink with a vampire’s version of an intense blush.

‘’Sorta.’’ He knew what Wilhelm was implying. ‘’But you’re makin’ it sound like this big scary thing. I mean, it’s not so bad, is it?’’

‘’It’s more than bad. It’s _terrible_!’’ Wilhelm cried. His words were now clear and proper. He wondered what the secret was for talking with monstrous dentistry. ‘’I have a tendency to lose control and I fear that I may attempt to do something unsavoury with you due to the sheer number of hormones in my system.’’ He spoke quickly, in a panic. ‘’I will not be behaving rationally and _that_ is the most frightening thing imaginable.’’

‘’So, what can I do about it?’’ He asked.

‘’Unfortunately, you cannot prevent it or anything like that.’’ Wilhelm averted his gaze. ‘’However, in the case that I attempt to do something vile, you should refuse any and all advances, push me away and lock your door.’’ There was a violent quiver in his voice and the colour on his face was only intensifying. ‘’You’re welcome to use force if the situation calls for it. I can regenerate if necessary, though I would prefer not to have to do it.’’ He could hear the rapid, repetitive thump of a tentacle rising and falling onto the ground. One was even squeezing his pillow like a cobra. Their nervous little tics were energised by anxiousness and had become painfully noticeable.

He had to ask. ‘’What if I don’t push ya away?’’

Wilhelm looked so uncomfortable that he could curl up into a ball like a pill bug. ‘’You… you don’t want to know what happens.’’

‘’And how did ya figure out that you’re—‘’ He began, only to be cut off.

‘’—You don’t want to know about that either.’’ Wilhelm refused to disclose any more.

‘’Okay, okay. I gotcha.’’ He said, raising his hands up defensively. ‘’Can I ask when this is actually gonna start?’’

Wilhelm let out a pained sigh. ‘’It has already begun. But please know that it will increase in intensity over the coming days and eventually peak. After said peak, I can return to normal.’’

‘’And how will I know when that’s happening?’’ That was something else he needed to know.

‘’The symptoms are incredibly blatant. There is no chance that you could miss it.’’

‘’No chance?’’ He teased.

‘’No chance.’’ Wilhelm said with certainty.

Robin attempted to pull the pillow away from the tentacle clutching it so tightly. No matter how hard he tugged, it refused to let go. ‘’Y’know, I don’t like the idea of sleepin’ on a slimy pillow.’’ He chuckled.

Wilhelm realised his mistake and like clockwork, the tendril let go, retreated and coiled around its master’s chest. ‘’Oh! Sorry about that. It’s very difficult to control them all at once…’’ He looked around Robin’s room, where the appendages in question had sprawled out and were touching everything in reach. ‘’As you can plainly see.’’ The vampire chuckled. It sounded like a rumble, deep from his chest. The typical light properties of his voice remained but since changing form, a deep, resounding growl had been lingering underneath. It delighted his ears and sometimes he wanted to forget the words and just hear every nuanced sound. ‘’Anyhow, I think I should go. Judging by how you’re lying in the bed, you probably would like to sleep now.’’

‘’I would, yeah.’’

He rose up on a bundle of tentacles and graciously slithered to the door. ‘’Oh… thank you for understanding. I was worried you would react poorly to all of this, seeing as it will be an uncomfortable time, but it went far better than I expected. So again, I must thank you.’’

‘’No worries, mate.’’ He waved the guy off, hoping that he could finally get a wink of sleep.

*******

Robin descended the steps, hearing each creak under him. He sat down at the dining table and as usual, a plate had been laid out for him along with a cup of coffee. The air was thick with not only the delicious smells of breakfast, but also the musty scent of rain. He looked out the window and watched the heavy droplets batter the land, turning sand into mud and drowning the plants with an unrelenting barrage of water. The sky was no longer a joyous blue but a miserable, desaturated grey punctuated by dark, furious clouds.

The vampire was seated at the head of the table and his gaze was locked on the window. His pearly eyes watched the rain fall and he was entranced by the sights. He was still stuck in his monstrous form, though he seemed far more comfortable than he had been. The vampire didn’t even greet him or acknowledge his presence as he typically did. And though his eyes were glued to the outside world, he wondered if Wilhelm was seeing anything at all. It seemed as if he was looking past it and somewhere else, into a world that didn’t exist.

‘’Mornin’, Wilhelm.’’ He said, scooping up his cutlery and breaking the silence.

The vampire suddenly turned, almost startled by the sound of his voice. ‘’Oh! Good morning! Apologies, I was… lost for a moment there.’’ He was no longer distant but instead, became rather spritely. His eyes darted around the room, fixating on seemingly random objects before returning to him. ‘’Did you sleep well?’’ He spoke quickly, with energy and a peculiar joyfulness.

‘’I did. How ‘bout you?’’

‘’Ja, ja, very well. I was out like a light!’’ He giggled, eyes still wandering. He examined Robin’s face and trailed down, inch by inch. Suddenly, his gaze flicked up, meeting his eyes once more. ‘’Did you have fun with your friend yesterday?’’ He was leaning over the table, with his tentacles nearby, swaying back and forth rapidly, like a dog wagging its tail – or in this case _tails_.

‘’Yeah, it was good while it lasted. I think he missed me.’’ He already missed the bloke. He hoped he could come over again soon. ‘’I missed him too, to be fair.’’ He felt something sour in his gut and had to cut this conversation short in fear of turning into a mushy, emotional mess. ‘’Anyways, it was nice to catch up.’’

It seemed that Wilhelm had stopped listening at some stage, as his eyes had drifted to the food in front of him. He offered no reply and instead, watched Robin eat for an uncomfortable period of time. Eventually, he made eye contact. ‘’Does he hate me? Your friend, I mean.’’ Wilhelm said out of the blue.

The answer to that was so obvious he felt he didn’t have to say a word. However, Wilhelm’s pleading eyes told him to state the obvious. ‘’Jeremy does, yeah. Heaps. If you’d gone out’a hidin’ I think he would’ve bashed ya.’’

‘’Hm, I would’ve liked to see him try.’’ Wilhelm examined his claws for emphasis. In his peripheral, he saw several tentacles snap up into the air, ready to strike any unfortunate prey. ‘’Believe me when I say he would not have gotten far!’’ Though he laughed it off, there was a definite threat behind those words, lingering like a knife hidden under the dark veil of gaiety.

That demonstration of power sent a wave of heat through Robin. It occurred to him just how defenceless he was against the vampire, how easily he could be disarmed and made utterly powerless. Robin could be at his mercy in a heartbeat.

The thought simultaneously terrified him to his core and thrilled him to no end.

‘’Pah, you underestimate the bloke. He’s wicked good with a bat.’’ He imitated the motion of swinging a cricket bat with force.

‘’And you overestimate him.’’ Wilhelm scoffed, grinning with pointed teeth. ‘’He is just a young man at the end of the day, is he not?’’

‘’How ‘bout we jus’ agree to disagree.’’ He proposed.

Wilhelm nodded. ‘’Naturally.’’ Again, those empty, pale eyes watched him eat with quiet amusement. He shot the bloke a sharp glare, but he refused to look away. He was seemingly captivated by his every move. It was an odd feeling, to be stared at with such intense curiosity and adoration. It was a nice feeling and yet, it unnerved him, knowing that it wasn’t a fellow human eyeing him up but an exotic monster.

He chose to ignore all the staring for the moment and instead, he asked a simple question. The last thing he wanted was to be watched in silence. ‘’I’ve been thinkin’ right, if vampires can look exactly like ordinary people, do you lot ever accidentally drink each other’s blood?’’

Wilhelm chuckled. The question seemed ridiculous to him. ‘’No, no, never! Trust me, we know long before the fangs even come close to the throat.’’

‘’What, do ya read each other’s minds or some shit?’’ He snickered as he bit into his toast.

‘’It’s actually done by scent.’’ Wilhelm gestured to his nose. ‘’A vampire’s blood carries a distinctive, bitter aroma… which you are likely familiar with.’’

‘’I know it all too fuckin’ well.’’ His old work clothes still stunk of vampire blood, no matter how many times he washed the buggers, the bitter stench remained.

‘’Fortunately, you and your kind carry a far more… _inviting_ scent.’’ The vampire rose from his seat and skulked over to him, his warm body coiled around Robin and for a moment, he froze completely. It felt as if a predator had locked on him and that there was no escape. His fate was now that of prey. Robin shuddered as a soft voice teased his senses. ‘’One that I can detect in mere seconds…’’ A long, enduring inhale tickled the sensitive skin on his neck. ‘’Ahh, as delicious as ever…’’ It was a mere purr, rich with delight and a hunger for more. His breath hitched when he felt sagittal teeth graze against his neck, threatening to puncture flesh. He paused there, as if waiting for approval.

Robin was frozen in place. Not one of his muscles would dare to move. It wasn’t terror, more so shock. Wilhelm never acted so boldly. He kept a fair distance, maintained a somewhat respectful environment and was far more subtle about his desires.

He didn’t give the vampire any sort of approval and those teeth pulled away. He let out a sigh of relief. Robin felt clawed hands on his chest, stroking small circles. White eyes trailed downward, and a sly smile spread on the vampire’s face. ‘’Have I mentioned how that shirt looks very good on you? It really compliments your eyes, which are beautiful by the way…‘’ He whispered in Robin’s ear.

‘’You’re definitely out of it.’’ He said, shaking his head.

‘’Aw, have I embarrassed you, Robin? I didn’t mean to make you all… _flustered_.’’ A certain tone had oozed into his voice. The words flowed in an almost suggestive manner, purring and twisting to pull at his desires until they came undone. The words were dripping with a seductive, sweetened honey. ‘’The blush on your cheeks is also rather flattering…’’ A thumb brushed his heated cheeks.

‘’You feelin’ okay, Wilhelm?’’

He felt the tip of an idle tentacle stroke his ankle and slowly creeping upwards. ‘’More than ‘okay’ actually. I feel _good_.’’ He breathed out. That tendril rose higher, pulling the leg of his pants up as it went up to his knee. ‘’My, my, look at that…’’ He heard the vampire take a breath, as if to begin a rant. ‘’I like your kind for many reasons, but most of all it is your blemishes that excite me. My kin have the ability to be perfect in every sense of the word, but you do not. We can heal every scar, hide all traces of injury… but you cannot do the same.’’ He looked to the German, curious as to what he was on about. It was strange seeing him from this close. He noticed little things he hadn’t seen before, like the tiny little eyelashes he had, the stubborn beauty mark on his cheek and his stark adam’s apple. ‘’Take this scar for example…’’ He felt the tip of the tentacle rub against an old, faded scar. ‘’At some point in your life, your body was damaged and though it repaired itself, it could not do so perfectly… and so your form carries a detailed history of battles, accidents, missteps and an infinite number of events.’’ Another appendage slithered towards him and he watched, paralysed, as it crept up to his stomach, lifting his shirt just enough to expose his belly and a bold, pinkish scar. ‘’This one marks something more significant… would you care to enlighten me?’’

Robin wasn’t sure if he wanted to play along. He supposed there was no harm in it. ‘’That’s an old one… a few months back Jeremy and I went out to this greasy spoon, lookin’ for a bloodsucker and all that. We found the bastard, confronted him and things got messy real fast. Before I could even shoot the cunt, he shoved the knife he was eatin’ with in my gut. Jeremy got him after that but still, the damage was done I s’pose.’’

‘’Evidently so.’’ A tendril stroked the scar, feeling every aspect of it.

‘’Can you feel with those things?’’ He asked out of the blue. A sudden curiosity had overwhelmed him.

‘’Of course I can. They are just like any other extremity.’’ The one now on his calf darted upward and wormed its way to his neck, where it flopped against his throat. ‘’And now, I can even feel your pulse.’’ He chuckled.

‘’You wanna know what I can feel?’’ He deliberately put on a sultry tone, inviting intrigue.

‘’Hm?’’ His tone was returned. He knew what Wilhelm was expecting, but unfortunately for him, he wouldn’t hear it.

‘’…My stomach eatin’ itself because ya won’t let me eat my brekky.’’ He snickered, teasing Wilhelm.

‘’Ah, apologies. I should leave you to it, then.’’ He shifted away. ‘’We can’t have you starving because of me, can we?’’ He said, beaming from ear to ear. His smile was just as charming as it used to be, if not more so. ‘’I suppose we can resume this later, ja?’’ The vampire said as he ascended up the stairs. He disappeared down the hallway and he heard the click of the door closing shut.

He shrugged and returned to his food. He looked to the window and absentmindedly watched the downpour.

**~***~**

Wilhelm felt as if he were drowning in a sea of sensations. It was all so overwhelming he felt as if he couldn’t breathe. His body burned with an uncomfortable heat, his very flesh felt tight and every part of him pleaded for stimulation. His mind was flooded by racy and salacious imagery, providing a vast variety of inspiration if he chose to utilise it. A nagging desire to touch, explore and entice tickled his nerves, bringing out an incessant need to obey such compulsions. His body ached with desire and he wanted relief immediately. He needed to scratch this itch or continue to suffer.

Dining with the hunter had been just that; _torture_. His every sense was on overdrive, working harder against his wishes in order to arouse him. It forced him to notice things he hadn’t before, such as Robin’s stunning physique. Though he was scruffy, that had a charm of its own. He couldn’t help but comment on his vibrant eyes and wished he had an opportunity to mention his delightfully plump lips, or his pert nipples that proudly displayed themselves through his shirt, or his shapely thighs… He had also noticed how the delightful aroma of blood and Robin’s cologne swirled together into a beautiful concoction that pleased his senses. He began to truly admire the way he smiled, the way he talked and how he conducted himself. It was as if bait had been dangled before his eyes, one he knew he wanted but could not have unless given his permission.

He only wished that the man was as eager and desperate as he was. Perhaps all this time cooped up in a manor would inspire lust to overrule any sense of morality. Wilhelm hoped so. Loneliness was a strong motivator for intimacy and pleasure, one he knew all too well. Now he was a victim of not only his body, but to his time alone as well. It had become agonising to be unfulfilled, rather than a mere inconvenience. His carnal instincts pulled at his very mind, forcing him to think about sex and only sex. He wanted to lose his manners, to just abandon his promises to the hunter and to defile him. He wanted to make the man enjoy it, force him to want his everything. He wanted to have the man all to himself, to take him and to use him. But alas, he could not do such a thing, no matter how much his insides demanded it.

**~***~**

Over the next few days, Wilhelm’s strange behaviour only intensified.

It was at first in the little things. He noticed how Wilhelm had stopped closing the door to his bedroom, even at night. A vase full of flowers had been put in Robin’s room by the windowsill, with the blooms just about overflowing, it was a sweet gesture at the least. The vampire became more active around the house, as if he couldn’t sit still. Touches – no matter how minimal – began to linger too long for comfort. Wilhelm had started to talk differently, employing suggestion and not so subtle implications. His tone had become softer, more inviting and the words were delivered more deliberately, in a manner that was clear and practiced.

Robin looked outside and noticed something new.

The vampire was basking in the evening sun, sprawled on the grass. His tentacles surrounded him, staying close. Robin watched as he groomed himself, using his tongue to preen his body and the appendages all around him. It looked to be soothing, as he worked slowly and gently with closed eyes and the smallest of smiles. It was fascinating to say the least, to see something so inhuman clean and groom itself for no reason other than for pleasure.

Robin opened the door and joined Wilhelm outside.

‘’How’s it goin’?’’ He asked in passing.

Wilhelm jumped in fright when his bliss was interrupted. ‘’Very well, danke.’’

He sat beside the vampire, noting how his pale skin glistened with a coat of saliva. It seemed to be effective as he was remarkably clean. ‘’So why are ya doin’ that if ya showered today?’’

Wilhelm opened his mouth to speak but didn’t have an answer. ‘’I’m… not sure. It’s rather pleasant, for one thing… and I also felt inclined to do it.’’

‘’Feels nice, does it?’’ He sounded as sceptical as he felt.

‘’If you would like I could… I could help you as well.’’ It was a shy offer, filled with uncertainty.

Robin’s first instinct was to hastily and bluntly refuse. It was a strange thought, to allow himself to be licked like a cub under the pretence of being cleaned. But something inside of him was incredibly curious. He wondered what it would feel like. ‘’Why the hell not. But jus’ a quick one, Wilhelm.’’

‘’Ja. Short and sweet.’’ He chuckled, pulling him closer.

Robin braced himself for impact. He felt the vampire’s breaths against his wrist and then his tongue rolled up and down his arm, dampening the hair there. He saw flashes of blue as the muscle swept all over. Everything was lovingly attended to and he shuddered at the feeling. The vampire leaned in behind him and his head dipped under his shirt, licking down his back. It sent shivers down his spine. He felt the vampire’s hands wrap around him as his mouth was busy, and it made him realise how bizarrely intimate this was.

And how weird this was.

‘’Okay, mate, that’s enough. I’ve had my fill.’’ He cried out, deciding that he’d had enough.

Wilhelm emerged and shifted to meet eye contact. ‘’Are you sure? I’m willing to do far more than this.’’

‘’I’m sure, yeah. Thanks, mate.’’ He gave him a pat on the back before he fled back indoors, where no more odd licking would occur.

*******

Robin was busy flicking through his phone when Wilhelm came through the door unannounced.

‘’You’re not busy, are you?’’ The vampire asked, halting in the doorway. He had his hands behind his back, as if hiding something from him.

‘’Nah.’’ He said, tossing the device aside and sitting up.

‘’Oh, there’s no need to get up.’’ Wilhelm slithered closer and his hand gently pushed him back down. Robin tilted his head and noticed that he held a small, ornate plate in one hand. On it was a humble assortment of little chocolates. He gave the bloke a puzzled glance. ‘’I wanted to surprise you,’’ Wilhelm clarified, gesturing to the sweets in question. ‘’I thought you would enjoy something like this.’’

‘’Wow, uh, thanks.’’ He wasn’t sure what to say. It was very odd but he was inclined to accept. He raised a hand to snag one, only for a tendril to wrap around his wrist, halting all movement. ‘’What are ya doin’?’’ He cried out, baffled by it.

Wilhelm gave no response.

In his peripheral he saw several tentacles curl towards the plate and the thin tips slithered to the food. He watched in a mix of confusion and awe as an appendage coiled around a piece of chocolate with astonishing precision and lifted it up, carrying the food towards his mouth, offering it to him.

It was strange. But he opened his mouth anyway. Robin refused to meet the pearly eyes that unrelentingly gawked at him. He was expecting what came next to be crude, however, it was anything but. The treat was placed gently on his tongue with the upmost care. The sweetness melted in his mouth and his mouth watered in excitement. It seemed to please Wilhelm and he smiled pleasantly. ‘’Good, ja?’’

‘’Mhm.’’ He wasn’t sure what Wilhelm was getting at.

Another was brought to him and once more, Robin opened his mouth. This time, he met Wilhelm’s gaze. He seemed to be mesmerised by the simple act. This time, the tendril lingered just a moment longer before retreating, as if testing the waters. This treat was slightly different, with the addition of hazelnut. Needless to say, he’d missed having chocolate, especially good stuff like this. He felt a bony hand making its way to his chest. It had been a slow and careful movement, designed to slip right by, unfortunately for Wilhelm, he’d noticed it. He felt the vampire’s thumbs shyly brush the sensitive nubs of his nipples through his shirt. A yearning for more jolted through him, betraying his instincts.

Wilhelm interpreted his silence as encouragement. Robin watched, unable to resist as gaunt, almost skeletal hands slipped under his shirt, working their way up from his belly to his chest. The spindly fingers that touched him with a bizarre gentleness only served to remind him that it wasn’t a human’s caress, but a creature’s instead. It made him feel dirty to know that he didn’t mind. If anything, he _liked_ it. He looked to the monster in question, trying to convince himself that there had been a mistake, and that he didn’t feel this way at all. He tried to pick Wilhelm apart, to see his features as sickening and vile but no matter what he looked at, or how he looked at it, he could only see him as fine. No, it was worse than that. He found the twisted, beastly nature of the vampire before him to be attractive, if not _irresistible_.

A tendril slithered towards his mouth, offering him another treat. He opened his mouth and allowed the tentacle in. It lingered a moment too long and a devious idea came to mind. As a punishment for loitering, he closed his mouth, trapping it inside. Robin was expecting Wilhelm to laugh it off, but he got a very different reaction. He heard an inhuman purr as a response, encouraging him to go further down this route. He licked along the length, allowing his lust to overtake reason. He heard an abrupt whimper from Wilhelm as the sensitive, wet flesh was caressed. He then began to suckle on it, revelling in the way the vampire whined. Fluid oozed from the trapped tentacle, leaving a sourness on his tongue that blended with the sweetness.

With the way Wilhelm was reacting to all of this, he realised he could have some fun with him. He could taunt, tease and play with the vampire until he couldn’t take it anymore. He tried to talk, but with a tendril in his mouth, his words became incomprehensible. Thankfully, Wilhelm thought to help. It pulled away, forcing itself out and finally allowing him to talk. He looked to the little ornate plate by the bed and smiled. It was empty. He couldn’t contain his smirk as the cruel words escaped him. ‘’Seems like you’re all out’a choccies, mate.’’ He said it like a goodbye. ‘’Ta.’’

Wilhelm looked to him, puzzled. Then he smiled pleasantly, taking the plate. He knew that was his cue to leave. ‘’You’re very welcome.’’ The vampire masked his disappointment with a sultry tone. He paused in the doorway, as if waiting for the punchline before leaving for good.

*******

Robin ate dinner in an unbreakable silence. No matter what he said, or what conversation he tried to ignite, the vampire was too distant to keep it going. He would talk only briefly, giving cold responses before trailing off. He seemed to be lost in thought. Sometimes when Robin talked, he wouldn’t hear him at all and those white eyes would remain fixed to the outside world, where the rain had begun once more. It was heavier this time, with thunder rumbling in the distance. It was frustrating, but he supposed it made sense. The bloke clearly wasn’t himself, but this was a whole new mood he had to deal with.

Robin ate quickly, thanked the vampire for his supper – even though he didn’t make it – and retreated to his room for the night. He readied himself for bed with a quick shower and once dry, he tucked himself in. He was feeling many things, all at once in a swirling, bubbling brew. He felt a touch of lust, a hint of fascination and a slight disgust. But most of all, he was curious. He wanted to see how this would play out. He wanted to know just how far Wilhelm would go. He had noticed the attempts to entice him - as they were difficult to miss – and wondered just how much they would escalate. A dirty part of him wanted to be desired by something inhuman and to be seduced by such a thing. But another part wanted to heed Wilhelm’s advice and to push him away.

He wasn’t sure what side to listen to. They each had a compelling argument. One offered fulfilment, while the other promised that things would be just how they were before.

Robin began to drift off. In the comfort of his bed, his consciousness melted away, leaving him in a snug darkness. Sleep destroyed all thoughts and all feeling, leaving him happily numb.

That was until something touched his face in the dark. He jolted awake, instinctually swinging toward whatever had touched him. His fist was grabbed and put back by his side.

Shadows rose up in the dark, only barely visible. When they were close enough, he knew them to be tentacles. He was left frozen in place by the remnants of sleep and shock.

‘’Wilhelm! What the fuck are you doin’!?’’ He yelled, blindly swinging at the tentacles. He couldn’t judge where they were in the dark and missed horribly.

Wilhelm’s only response came in a flash of vibrant colours. The appendages on and around his bed lit up, glowing like worms in a dark cave. He watched with awe as the appendages shone with sparkling, vivid luminescence. He watched, fascinated as they shifted between beauteous colours dramatically, flawlessly transitioning between hues.

One reached out and touched Robin’s cheek, caressing along the warm flesh as a hand would. He leaned into the touch, losing himself in this gentle caress and the feel of Wilhelm on him. His thoughts were jumbled and muddled, unable to come together at all. He was simply entranced by the vibrancy before his eyes and wouldn’t dare to interrupt the beautiful display. 

‘’I don’t understand why we are waiting,’’ Wilhelm began, voice soft and sweet. ‘’We desire the same thing…’’ He said quietly. ‘’And yet, we delay it and pretend it isn’t there.’’ A slight, growl entered his voice. ‘’Aren’t you tired of waiting, Robin?’’ He could see Wilhelm’s silhouette in the dark, looming over him.

‘’…Waiting for what?’’ He grumbled, blinking rapidly to cleanse the flickering colours from his mind. 

‘’You know exactly what.’’ He retorted. He felt his nimble hands glide down to his waist, where they teased his hips. ‘’You lust for me as I do for you.’’ A tentacle coiled around his body clutching him tightly. ‘’And yet you ignore me, mock me and play with me…’’ Wilhelm breathed out, leaning closer towards him. ‘’I don’t want to play any longer. I think we should finally conclude this little game.’’

Those words were like sweet poison. He so craved them but knew the consequences. He would take it. It was no secret that he longed for the vampire as well. His body told him so. He felt hot all over and it felt as if his clothes were a prison over his body. His mind felt foggy and the way Wilhelm spoke had him hanging on to every word. A response wouldn’t come to him. The words were jumbled in both his brain and his throat. Instead, he pulled Wilhelm in. He brought the vampire closer to him until they were nose to nose. He could feel Wilhelm’s heated breaths, which grew more rapid with each passing second. Robin closed the gap, drawing the courage to make a dangerous move that would change him forever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry about cockblocking you xx  
> i promise the next bit will have something spicy


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is *pure* fetish fuel  
> am I ashamed? yes  
> have I sinned? yes, a lot  
> are you going to enjoy this sin? maybe  
> check the tags before proceeding because this will definitely not be everyone's cup of tea. You've been warned!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry

It was everything Wilhelm ever wanted.

The hunter’s lips brushed against him and in that moment, all of Wilhelm’s self-control snapped like a feeble twig. He returned the kiss eagerly. Even though it was uncomfortable, mismatched and confused, it felt so _right_. His mouth was too bulky for the other man, but the awkwardness was irrelevant. What was more important was that Robin _chose_ to do this. Though he wasn’t human, Robin had still chosen to treat him like one and that sentiment warmed his heart, making him feel a bittersweet happiness. No one else could offer him this sensation. It was perfect, so very perfect that it hurt. A lustful tongue explored his mouth, tracing his teeth and licking his canines. It met with his own blue tinted beast and he took over. Idle tentacles hastily unbuttoned the hunter’s shirt and slid it off his shoulders. They removed his slacks, tossing them aside. Robin reached out, placing his hands on his chest, stroking small, clumsy circles as they were intertwined.

Slowly, he snaked his way onto the bed, opting to lie on top of the hunter rather than linger by his side. The smaller body below him was so very warm and soft that his mind begged for him to pull away to give Robin a good look. He wanted to see it all. He wanted to admire every curve, freckle and scar. He held the hunter close as he smothered the man in passionate kisses. The collision was imperfect, and his pointed teeth broke the soft skin of Robin’s lips. He didn’t flinch, rather, the embrace only intensified.

Wilhelm could smell his delicious blood. It overpowered him and he found himself eagerly lapping up the delectable fluid from the hunter’s lips. The taste was subtle and diluted by saliva and yet, he needed more. It tickled his cravings, allowing them to rise to the surface. His hunger became blatant and excruciating and the thought of biting into his partner’s throat made his mouth water. His tongue flicked against the man’s bottom lip, sweeping up more blood. He let out a satisfied hiss as a heated pulse ran through him.

Wilhelm loved how eager Robin was. There was a desperate need in the way he moved, he craved this just as much as Wilhelm did. Robin’s hands explored his chest as if to admire every detail. The hunter then released the muscle and bit his lip hard enough to split the skin, enticing more blood out. Wilhelm put his mouth around it, needing to taste it. When it was all gone, he nipped at the skin, ripping it up and spilling yet more blood. Robin gripped him tighter, whimpering with both pain and pleasure.

He pulled away for a second, blood oozing from his wounds. Wilhelm couldn’t meet his eyes, even as he talked. The flow was simply hypnotising. ‘’Hungry bastard, aren’t ya?’’ He taunted. The blood flowed down his chin and a stout droplet threatened to fall.

‘’Ja… it’s difficult not to be when you are so… _appetising_.’’ He leaned in and licked up the blood. ‘’If I didn’t know better, I would say you are trying to tempt me.’’ His voice dropped to a whisper. ‘’Perhaps I should tempt you in return, hm?’’ Wilhelm stroked his cheek with a long tendril.

‘’I’ve been waitin’ for ya to say somethin’ like that.’’ He said, grinning. ‘’I’ve been doin’ all the fuckin’ work so far.’’

‘’Oh, woe is you…’’ He lined the words with a rich sarcasm. ‘’Why oh why is bedding a vampire so much _work_ …’’ He sighed out dramatically.

‘’Jus’ get on with it.’’ Robin retorted, playfully slapping his cheek with the back of his hand.

‘’As you wish.’’

He parted the bundle of tentacles that hid his abdomen, as if a rose was blossoming, the petals in question parted and splayed out. He shifted just slightly, pressing his hips against Robin’s. He eased back and forth, pushing the sensitive area against the hunter’s hard cock. The head bumped the slit and the pressure welled, causing fluids to pour from him, slicking them both in wetness. He went faster, now rolling his hips in a repetitive pattern, rubbing their need together. Something inside of him pushed and swelled, preparing to emerge. Wilhelm bucked his hips, letting out a long, satisfied exhale. He ground up against that hard cock and he grew more sensitive by the second until every brush was near orgasmic.

Robin suddenly squirmed, as if he was uncomfortable. ‘’Wait, hang on a sec.’’ He said breathlessly, raising a finger to halt him. ‘’Could ya sit up for me?’’ Wilhelm complied with the request, even though the lack of stimulation was rapidly becoming a bother. The hunter’s eyes dropped low, examining his manhood. ‘’What… what the fuck is that?’’ He asked, gesturing to the reddened swelling. He looked at it as if it were a dangerous animal to be approached with caution and care.

He laughed at how awkward he felt. Wilhelm had hoping that this conversation wouldn’t come to be. ‘’How can I phrase it…?’’ He chuckled to himself. ‘’This… uhm… it protects my delicates.’’

‘’What, by not lettin’ you use ‘em when you need ‘em?’’

‘’No, no, it does… _open_ in a way…’’ He mustered, feeling heat rising to his face.

‘’So, your dick is in there?’’ Shyly, his hand crept towards the bulge and at first a brave fingertip traced along it. Though the touch was subtle, the effects were severe and wondrous.

‘’Ja…’’ He replied meekly. 

‘’How do I get the bastard out?’’ Robin’s index trailed downward, fortuitously gracing the slit with his touch.

‘’It merely needs a little bit of… _encouragement._ ’’ His breath hitched when the hunter became a little more forceful with his administrations and pressed harder. It occurred to him how much he wanted Robin to touch him, to explore him and to familiarise himself with it.

‘’Weird way to phrase it.’’ Robin chuckled. ‘’Should I ask it nicely to come out?’’ The sarcasm was painfully rich in his tone.

‘’If that excites you, you may.’’ He said, smiling. ‘’I can’t say it will be effective, however.’’

‘’I get your point.’’ The hunter gained courage and groped it, squeezing just lightly.

‘’Ah… ja… that will do it.’’ He whimpered, feeling it swell with delight. Heat rushed through him, and he felt a pulse that seemed to squeeze his insides, making him feel tight all over. 

Robin squeezed harder and he mewled, panting with need. The lecherous organ inside of him pushed closer to the surface, filled to the brim with purpose. It was so close to coming out of him and meeting its beneficiary. Robin stroked it with his palm, rubbing it up and down. Wilhelm threw his head back as the pleasure stirred every part of him. Wetness was dripping from him now, preparing him for a drastic and sudden change. Every touch was sending rolling waves of heat and need through his system and he craved so much more. It was pushing from inside, ready to emerge and to ravage the man before him. He was excited, knowing that he would soon be able to breed with the hunter. He had been waiting far too long and his urges had only grown.

Wet, perverse sounds punctuated every touch, stroke and grab. A twitch jolted through him, warning him that it was nearly time. ‘’Oh, Robin… It’s _so_ close…’’ He moaned as the pressure mounted. It became so unbearably tight as it began to squeeze its way out of him. A rush of pure euphoria flooded through him, intoxicating his very blood with raw carnality.

A final touch was all it took.

The swelling grew to be plump and finally, it opened, unable to take the strain any longer. His tentacle-like cock raced out, forcing itself out from the confines of his body. Robin pulled away, mortified by the sights. Relief flooded his mind as it flowed out, inch by inch until it was all free. He was left shaking and howling like an animal as it emerged. His eyes watered with the intensity of it all and a violent shudder ran through his body as if an aftershock following a powerful earthquake.

Robin was astounded and stared in awe of the lengthy, writhing organ. It occurred to Wilhelm just how vulnerable he looked. He was so little. He couldn’t fight him even if he wanted to. The temptation to simply force his way inside of Robin was beyond compare. He wanted to make Robin truly his. He wanted to mate with him, fill him with his dominance and to coat him in his scent. All would know who he belonged to.

His cock slithered towards his thrall's own length and they rubbed together. Robin’s eyes darted down. Wilhelm saw him bite his lip and noted how his cock twitched at the sight of the size difference. ‘’God…’’ He hissed out under his breath.

His mind was racing with thousands of words. And yet, one thing prevailed over all else. He wanted to bed his prey, no matter what. ‘’You want it, don’t you?’’ He caressed his prey's cheek with his thumb. 

He was silent with shame.

‘’Oh, come on, that won’t do.’’ He chuckled. ‘’There is no need to be shy.’’ It felt as if he was grabbing the reins by force, snatching them from Robin’s hands and taking complete control. He had so missed this delicious power. He knew the man was acting. He had to be! He was playing coy, pretending to be shy so he would get exactly what he wanted; force. And Wilhelm would give him force.

‘’…I don’t know…’’ He trailed off, refusing to say any more. The guilt stung more than the pathetic response. He wanted to excite and to tease until they were desperate to breed. This weakness and apathy was so very dull! 

‘’Oh, come on, Robin. You have gone so far as to… _prepare_ me and yet, you are suddenly too shy? I can hardly believe that. I think you’re playing games with me.’’ Wilhelm would get the hunter ready for him however he could. Even if that meant playing off his deepest fetishes. ‘’I will have you know that I don’t like it when men tease me without any intention of properly satisfying my needs.’’ He stroked Robin’s cheek, careful as to not cut him with his talons. ‘’I don’t like to leave empty handed, you see.’’ The vampire licked his teeth, showing off not only hunger but a definite – yet _unbelievably_ tempting – threat. He commanded his extremities, forcing them to slither closer. ‘’Coming to think of it, it wouldn’t be at all difficult to restrain you, would it, Robin?’’ He allowed his tentacles to coil around his eager prey, lifting his legs, binding his wrists and exploring his body. Wilhelm heard his breath hitch. He didn’t struggle, nor did he fight. ‘’Mm, I could just… take you.’’

Robin’s eyes wandered down, staring at the tentacles restraining him. Wilhelm noticed how Robin didn’t fight him. He didn’t scream, writhe or struggle. He was perfectly content right where he was. And yet, he was pretending that he didn’t want it. He supposed it was a fetish, he only wished that the man had been more blunt about telling him, as they wouldn’t have wasted so much precious time. Regardless, it pleased Wilhelm to no end to see his mate so ready for him and positioned so perfectly without a fuss. This was what Robin wanted all along, to be put on display and made into his toy.

‘’F-Fuck…’’ He whined as the appendages squeezed tighter around his limbs. It was not enough to hurt, but he would have great difficulty escaping. ‘’Christ, Wilhelm, you’re bloody scary when you’re like this.’’ He said in a mix of horror and arousal. Behind his words, a hungry little devil inside of him lingered, needing this more than anything else.

His tentacles spread the hunter’s legs further, as to further reinforce his point. ‘’Fear can be a good motivator…’’ He put an authoritativeness into his voice and cupped his prey's chin, forcing eye contact. He then leant in as if to kiss the man only to bite down on his lips, reopening several wounds. Blood spilled onto his teeth and he licked it all up. The coppery taste and satisfaction brought upon by even the smallest of feeds was near heavenly when accompanied by the sensual pulses from his cock.

With the man practically wrapped around his finger, he decided to tease his thrall and punish him for playing coy. He shifted down to his neck, twisting his body elegantly to do so. He licked that sensitive place, feeling goosebumps on his tongue as he rolled it up and down. He could smell the blood, just under his skin, so close yet so far out of reach. Robin had not given him permission to feed, but he supposed it didn’t matter at this point.

He bit into his throat, tearing flesh with his teeth rather than merely puncturing it. Blood came out in floods and saliva dripped from his open mouth as his appetite became too much to bear. He licked it up, treating himself to an appetiser. He suckled the wound, hearing a hiss from Robin. As he sampled the delicious fluid, he commanded his tentacles to tease his partner. He made them stroke his nipples, spread his rump and slowly stroke his cock. It delighted him to see his prey so affected by all the stimulation, as he shook and whimpered from each and every touch.

Eventually, there was no more blood. He grinned at the hunter, proudly displaying his bloodied canines. He licked his teeth, cleaning them of the blood and displaying his hunger fully. His thrall was quivering now, shaking with the overstimulation. His pupils were blown and his face a fiery red. His lips were parted, and he couldn’t help but stare at his hard penis, which shamelessly stood tall, as if displaying itself to him.

Wilhelm shifted to Robin’s ear. ‘’You want it, don’t you?’’ He whispered. His lengthy cock dipped lower, sneaking downward to Robin’s entrance. The head pressed against it before he deliberately paused, as to prompt him. ‘’Unfortunately for you, your body cannot lie to me.’’ He saw his pout lips part in a silent gasp as the tip just poked in for a second. ‘’I can give it to you, Robin, but only if you ask me nicely…’’ He was itching to breed just as much as Robin. All of the playing was driving him mad. However, his desire to please the man by toying with his most perverted fantasies prevailed over his impatience. ‘’A few words will buy you the pleasure of being my plaything for the night… doesn’t that sound good?’’ A devilish smirk spread on his face. The phallic head dipped in, just a little. It wriggled, promising full penetration if Robin gave in.

Robin finally gave in. ‘’Y-Yeah that sounds good…’’ His voice quaked. Those words were music to his ears. He had swallowed his pride and now they could breed at last.

**~***~**

It plunged into him without any further warning.

Robin couldn’t help but watch in awe as it went in. It was like seeing a dream come true. Wilhelm’s cock slid in deeper and deeper until he was full. No more could fit, and yet there was still more of it available. It was warm, wet and fit snugly inside of him. It was unbelievably arousing, to see something so long and exotic inside of him. A laugh escaped him. ‘’Jesus, your shilahs have it rough! How the fuck could they manage all of this, huh?’’ He chuckled.

‘’Quite well, actually.’’ He sighed out. His gaunt hands were around the base, idly stroking himself. ‘’Even with these circumstances, you are doing better than I expected… But then again, we haven’t gotten to the main event just yet.’’ The tentacle inside of him squirted, causing him to wince. It slicked him, preparing him for the so-called main event. The tentacle inside him began to slide back and forth, just gently as to help him adjust. He could feel a stretching from inside and he whimpered. The appendages coiled around his legs spread them further, to make it easier to reach all of the most sensitive places. But with how mobile the vampire was, it was hardly necessary.

Robin simply couldn’t look away when it began. The phallic tentacle began to thrust with force, purpose and vigour. If he wasn’t so tightly bound, he would be rocked back with every movement. He moaned when the head struck his prostrate, sending powerful bursts of intoxicatingly potent gratification through him. It rolled back and forth, ensuring to hit that spot on every thrust until he was left a whimpering, shaking mess.

Wilhelm leaned in and planted kisses down his neck, lovingly licking the forming scars. A tentacle wandered down his body, the tip tracing a slick line down his chest all the way to his abdomen. It distracted him for just a moment as it coiled around his erection, holding it as a hand would. It pumped his penis, stroking him fast. His legs began to shake as every coherent thought was crushed under the overwhelming pleasure, mushing it all up into nothing but lust. He knew the vampire was capable of so much more. There were yet more appendages laying about, idle and awaiting instructions. In a heartbeat, they could be all over him, touching, teasing and bringing out terrible things in him.

Wilhelm purred. The sound was twisted, inhuman and animalistic but it pulled at Robin’s arousal like nothing else. The vampire’s cock went faster, harder and changed its angle, finding a new well of pleasure to dig into. It went in and out at a rapid pace, slamming into him and driving him wild. He moaned as it plunged in deep and pulled all the way out, pleasing and stimulating tight muscle as it went. Wilhelm leaned in and his breaths tickled his ear. ‘’You’re doing so well…’’ He whispered breathlessly, praising him as if he was a beloved pet. Frankly, Robin didn’t mind the idea. He felt the vampire’s cock twitch inside of him on a particularly harsh thrust. He was close, he had to be. The thought of having such a beautiful, twisted creature finish inside of him as if he owned him made him feel an incredible excitement, one that made his heart race and his body so very sensitive.

Wilhelm broke rhythm and the girthy tentacle inside of him rammed into him without relent. Robin moaned and whined as it violated him. It pounded his body and he felt pressure, heat and pure indulgence growing from inside, just about overflowing now. He needed release and soon. The tendril around his cock went quicker, jerking him off hurriedly in a desperate attempt to get him off faster. The vampire growled, purred and snarled as he neared his climax. He looked attractively feral, with saliva dripping from his teeth, splayed claws and sweat on his pale skin. A final growl emerged from him, honeyed with his coming climax. His cock pressed in deep and he felt a series of twitches until he came. Cum spurted violently from the tentacle in floods, filling him up. It didn’t stop there. Another stream gushed out and overflowed. It began to drip from him, and he gladly absorbed the sight of a monster’s seed inside of him.

Spent, the vampire pulled out with a sigh. ‘’Oh… my, my, I’ve made a mess of you, haven’t I?’’ He breathed. ‘’Here… let me help you…’’ He said, breathless.

The vampire repositioned himself, only pausing to flaunt his entrance to him, which was right where the skirt of tentacles began. He made a show out of it, spreading the pink opening with his fingers, showing it off to him. Robin’s cock surged at the sight. He knew what Wilhelm was about to do for him and having it flaunted was just exhilarating. The vampire positioned himself on top of Robin’s cock and he adjusted it with his hand. He sat down on the head, allowing it to penetrate him.

Robin loved how hot and tight it was. It was already so slick, as if Wilhelm had prepared himself just for him. Wilhelm started to bounce on it, arching his back. It was slow and slight but by god, did he feel it. He sighed as the sensations overwhelmed him, from the tightness, to the motion and even to the concept, in that something beyond him had decided to please him. He placed his hands on Robin’s shoulders as he rocked on his hard cock. He gradually increased his pace. He wanted so badly just to buck into the vampire wildly and to fuck him hard. But with the tentacles around his body, all he could do was sit and watch the show. Even the sight was turning him on and the tightness even more so. He felt the heat and pressure in his penis building, soon to be released. It wouldn’t be long. Wilhelm rode him with skill and speed, he had maintained a perfect rhythm and never faltered. It was all so much, and the pleasures melded together into something beyond imagining and he came. It was loud, needy and so satisfying that he could hardly believe it.

‘’Bloody hell, that was good.’’ He breathed out.

Wilhelm parted and slid off him. ‘’Ja, it was just… incredible, really.’’ He sounded exhausted.

‘’Seein’ as ya got some dick, are ya gonna be yourself again?’’

‘’For the most part, yes.’’ He said, rubbing his neck awkwardly. 

‘’Good. I was gettin’ sick of ya bein’ all weird on me.’’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to horny jail  
> I'm a little scared of what I've done so please let me know what you thought.  
> ...and merry christmas my lovely readers <3


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How am I writing so fast?! LOOK AT ME GOOOOOOOOOOOO

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We love feelings here!

Robin towelled himself off after a hot shower. It had been a nightmare to clean himself properly and he’d spent at least half an hour in there, just washing himself. He looked at himself in the mirror, noticing the red marks where teeth had gone in and the dark patches on his lips. Those would all be scabs by tomorrow and he’d look like he’d been bruised and battered in a pub fight. He didn’t mind them as long as they healed fast. There were sores all over him and marks on his wrists and legs. He hoped those would fade, not that anyone would take notice of them. He touched a mark on his neck and it stung. He let out a little gasp as the burning pain shot through him. That one certainly wouldn’t heal fast.

Robin heard a thundering crash from down the hall and without even bothering to cover himself, he ran down to the source of the sound. He sprinted through Wilhelm’s room and nearly tripped on the wet floors of the bathroom.

Wilhelm was half inside the shower and half out of it, face down. He’d fallen flat on his face.

‘’You aight, mate?’’ He asked, patting his head and helping him up.

‘’Oh… I’m fine.’’ He groaned, clutching the towel rack for dear life as he rose to his feet. He only noticed now how the vampire towered over him. His newly formed legs were far too long and bony to be considered normal. He was a slender, beautiful thing. And now that he was biped, he was on an elegant border between humanity and vampirism.

‘’Holy shit!’’ He exclaimed. ‘’Ya have legs now?’’

Wilhelm looked down as if to confirm it for himself. ‘’I restored them.’’ He said. ‘’They’re the reason I fell, actually. I had the brilliant idea to make myself some legs while in the shower, forgetting that I was severely out of practice when it comes to actually using them.’’ A big, purplish bruise had already formed on his calf. ‘’The wet floors certainly didn’t help in that department!’’ He laughed it off with a large grin.

‘’You’re bruisin’.’’ He gestured to it.

‘’Ah, that happens after change things. Things are a little soft, you see. A few more minutes and I will be as good as new.’’ Wilhelm brought Robin’s hand to his thigh. He bashfully took the offer and squeezed, just gently. The vampire was right. It was softer than normal skin, not unlike firm dough. He could feel just about every bone beneath the surface.

‘’Oh, and look at this!’’ He stuck his tongue out. The bluish hues started to change. First it was a purple, then a magenta and finally, a vibrant pink. ‘’Ta-da!’’

He was blown away, even though he’d seen him turn monstrous in a heartbeat, to see something so minute happen with deliberate finesse was breathtaking. He felt like he was a toddler that had just been showed magic, or had a coin tucked behind his ear by a clever trickster. Except there was no trick. ‘’Wait, so ya can change back now?’’

‘’I can, but it will take some time. Unlike what you saw, changing my body is not an instantaneous process. It’s a series of small changes. If I were to do what I did a few days ago, it would be just as painful as it was then, not to mention physically exhausting.’’

‘’Y’know, I don’t mind ya bein like this it’s—‘’

‘’Yes, yes, I know it gives you an uncontrollable hard-on.’’ Wilhelm dismissed him with a wave of the hand.

‘’That wasn’t what I was gonna say.’’ He huffed.

‘’That was what you would have meant to say.’’ Wilhelm winked at him. Robin felt that he couldn’t argue with that retort. ‘’But that is besides my point. I’m changing for my own comfort. This house is designed for humans, not oversized creatures with long fingers, thrashing limbs and clumsy claws. Not only is it difficult to be productive but I can’t exactly go outside like this, either. Plus I have a shall we say… _complicated_ relationship with the power difference it makes between us.’’

‘’What, you think it’s hot?’’ It was his turn to tease the vampire.

‘’…Well, yes… but I disagree with it. I feel that I should not have power over you in any meaning of the word.’’

‘’Why not?’’ He shrugged. ‘’Think about it, ya could jus’ get in my head and boss me around like your houseboy, couldn’t ya? I wouldn’t mind all that much, would I? Hell, it’d probably be a good time. I mean, you’d like that, wouldn’t ya? Havin’ me all to yourself?’’

Wilhelm slapped him across the face. ‘’Don’t talk like that!’’ He cried out, voice shaking.

‘’Why the bloody hell not?’’

‘’It’s wrong, Robin.’’ He said with intensity and conviction. His face stung with the impact of his hand.

‘’Us fuckin’ was wrong but it didn’t stop us, did it?’’ He replied.

‘’But that was consensual! You cannot consent to being a slave!’’ He yelled. Almost instantly, Wilhelm put his hands over his mouth. ‘’Oh, gott… I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to yell at you.’’

‘’No, I deserved it. I pushed ya.’’ He admitted. ‘’But on the bright side, you’re standin’ up properly.’’ He said, cracking a smile.

Wilhelm looked down and nearly stumbled. ‘’So I am.’’ He said nervously. His white eyes met Robin’s and they trailed down to the bites on his body. The vampire’s slight smile turned to a frown. ‘’Help me downstairs, won’t you? I need to make you something for those wounds.’’

‘’You’re not feelin’ guilty, are ya?’’ He sighed. The last thing he wanted was for Wilhelm to feel bad for biting him. It had been for fun, and even now, the pain was minimal.

‘’I may be… well… only a little.’’ Wilhelm admitted shyly.

‘’I’ll help ya as long as ya stop bein’ a sook.’’

‘’Okay, that’s a fair deal.’’ Robin took him by the hand, as if helping a kid cross the road.

The first steps were clumsy, but Wilhelm maintained his balance. His long, slender legs fumbled for the ground and took slow, careful steps. It was like watching a foal learning to walk for the first time and gradually gaining confidence. He had to duck through the hallway and went step by step down the hallway, eventually reaching the staircase. It was only the first hurdle. Wilhelm took great care with the first step, placing it firmly before the other foot joined it. Slowly, he descended the staircase. By the last one, he let go of his hand, feeling confident.

The vampire’s stride was still awkward, but he was no longer at risk of falling over. He retreated to another room, closing the door behind him to assumedly make some sort of concoction.

*******

Unsure what to do with himself, Robin sat outside in the garden, book in hand. He had sat down next to a tree, with a surprisingly bright oil lamp dangling from the branches. His curiosity had gotten the better of him. Today he was looking at the section marked ‘marriage’. It was a surprisingly bulky segment.

_As per tradition, weddings are arranged by the two respective families to ensure genetic purity. Pairings are chosen based on their genetic make-up, and in particular, their potential for rare and invaluable traits. Typically, a couple will bear three to six children, to ensure that there are many compatible candidates for other families to choose from._

Below it was what looked to be a blend of a game of naughts and crosses and a scientific diagram. It had something to do with genetics. It went into the specifics, such as what a typical marriage entails and what is to be expected from there on out. One pairing was marked as ideal whilst the other had an oversized cross next to it.

And then he noticed a peculiar note.

_In rare cases, offspring may be uncooperative in the matchmaking process. In such cases, reconditioning is required._

Below that was a photograph. At first, he was unsure of what he was looking at. To him, it looked like a bunch of junk on a canvas. But when he looked closer, it clicked. It was a vampire, chained and bound with the arms and legs spread out wide. There was blood on the talons and on the vampire’s teeth. To Robin’s horror, Their body was covered in a sea of eyes without a single spot of skin showing. They were wet, with tears dripping off each other and onto the concrete floor. He noticed how even the tentacles were restrained by a clamp and covered by eyes. Those eyes were a pearly white and lacked pupils. They had rolled back and they looked as if in a daze.

_Through mental suggestions, sensory deprivation and electrical shocks, deviant behaviours can be suppressed._

_Pictured: The subject in a severe state of stress as indicated by the excessive number of eyes and fluids. This participant initially refused to be conditioned and became violent before surrendering to the effects of hypnosis._

It made his guts churn. It looked like torture to him. There were even wounds on the vampire’s body as if they had been beaten over and over again. It was nasty business and it made him wonder why they would write all of it down as if they were proud of it.

Just on the next page there were several photographs of a traditional wedding. If that wasn’t tonal whiplash, Robin didn’t know what was. It had the bride and groom in a lavish ballroom. The décor looked alien to him. It was vaguely gothic with some sort of exotic touch. It had pictures of the ceremony itself alongside the festivities. There were wine glasses full of blood, bands playing vaguely familiar instruments and pictures of bizarre dances.

_Weddings mark the beginning of adulthood, as all offspring are married off just before they become adults. The festivities last all night, with plentiful blood, jolly music and tear-jerking speeches._

He heard the sliding door groan from nearby as it was opened. He turned to see Wilhelm there – or at least his silhouette in the dark. As he came into the light, he noticed how the vampire was dressed in only a blue, fluffy robe, which was too short for his slender body and consequently rested brazenly on his thighs. He was holding a ceramic kettle and two teacups. He could smell potent herbs even from the tree he was under and scowled at the strong stench. He noticed how the vampire was walking rather well now, with elegance and grace. It was like his normal trot, except longer and taller. Wilhelm crouched next to the tree, putting the kettle aside. Steam gushed from it, rising up in the air in clouds before swirling into the dark, never to be seen again.

‘’Ah, it’s good to see that you’ve actually been reading the book I gave you.’’ Wilhelm said, smiling. ‘’I told you that you would like it, didn’t I?’’

‘’It’s actually pretty interestin’.’’

The vampire cocked his head and examined the page. ‘’Thinking about getting married?’’ He joked, laughing.

‘’Nah. I was jus’ curious.’’ Robin replied. ‘’So, what’ve you got there?’’

Wilhelm didn’t answer for a moment. His eyes had fixed on the previous page, although it was difficult to know for certain seeing as he didn’t have pupils. His smile had faded, and he noticed his claws digging into the dirt. He snapped out of it and actually processed the question. ‘’…Oh, just a mixture of healing herbs. I even have some ointment…’’ He got the ointment in question out of his pocket. It looked to be a cream of some sort. The jar was full and it seemed to be brand new. Wilhelm put the cups onto the most even ground he could find and then poured the herbal tea into them.

‘’Are ya sure a bunch of plants will help my cuts?’’ He looked to his steaming cup, which had a yellowish green tea inside.

‘’Of course. I used to drink this all the time.’’ He said with confidence. ‘’It will make you feel better, I promise.’’

‘’If ya say so.’’ He shrugged, taking a very small sip as to not burn his tongue. Even in such a small amount it was overwhelmingly bitter with a sort of fruity aftertaste. ‘’Strong stuff.’’ He commented.

‘’It has to be... Oh! And there’s more helpful effects. This should also stimulate blood production in your body. As you can probably guess, that is quite good for you, seeing as you will be losing a fair amount of blood every so often.’’ Wilhelm said as he unscrewed the cap. ‘’Now, Take your shirt off, bitte.’’

‘’Ready for round two, are ya?’’ He chuckled as he lifted his shirt over his head.

‘’Shush.’’ Wilhelm said cheekily. The vampire got a glob of cream and gently rubbed it on Robin’s neck. It stung like a thousand little ants biting him the moment the ointment touched his wound. He hissed. Wilhelm dug into the jar again, covering his fingers with another dab of cream. This time, he went lower, tenderly stroking it onto his chest, making his skin feel slick and slimy. The vampire’s warm hands felt heavenly on his body. His hands returned to the jar, collecting more cream. He rubbed the pale globs onto his palms and then went to his wrists, which had red, sore lines on them from when he’d been held. The medicine didn’t sting this time, instead, it was soothing. The vampire held his wrists, nurturing them with soft, fleeting touches to spread the cream. He collected more cream and then went to his hands, interlocking them. The vampire worked between his fingers and over old scars. He kneaded it in kindly and sweetly, taking care with it. Nothing there was sore, so he assumed that it was just for fun.

The only downside was that it made his hands too slimy to be practical.

Naturally, he wiped it off on Wilhelm’s thigh. He went to the inner part and he heard the bloke suck in a breath as his fingers narrowly brushed past a sensitive place. It wasn’t like he remembered it. The little bump was hardly noticeable, as it was pale and only protruded slightly. It still seemed just as sensitive, though.

‘’Oh, now I see why ya wanted to rub cream on me.’’ He laughed, teasing just an inch closer.

‘’No, no, not at all.’’ He hastily denied it. ‘’This was just an… unintentional side effect.’’

‘’It’s so bloody hard to tell if you’ve popped a stiffy or not.’’ He cocked his head, trying to suss out the space between the vampire’s thighs.

‘’…I have, yes.’’ Wilhelm admitted nervously.

‘’Let me take care of it for ya, seein’ as you’ve been takin’ care of me.’’ He dangled the offer between his eyes like a carrot in front of a hare. There would be no way he could resist. He put his hand on his crotch, inviting a response. He got it instantly, with Wilhelm making a small, cute whimper.

‘’I don’t know, Robin…’’ He sighed out, looking at the touch. ‘’I’m not sure that we should do this again. It’s such an intimate thing, isn’t it? And I don’t even know if we’re romantically inclined. While I do care about you and enjoy teasing you, I don’t know if I love you in the way a partner would, or if you have that interest in me.’’

Robin had no idea what he was on about. ‘’What’s all this about? Why do ya suddenly care about gettin’ all lovey dovey?’’

‘’I thought that your kind preferred to fall in love?’’ He asked, confused.

‘’Not always.’’ He patted Wilhelm on the shoulder.

‘’But I thought that was your entire… _thing_.’’ He trailed off, unable to find the right words. ‘’It’s normal for my kind to marry and mate lovelessly. From my understanding it’s more appropriate for your kind to first have a romantic engagement before engaging in such activities. I don’t wish to entrap you in something that isn’t to your liking. That’s all I’m trying to say.’’

‘’You didn’t seem to be bothered by all this shit earlier.’’

He shuddered as the warm cream was rubbed onto his neck with care and gentleness. ‘’Robin…’’ He sighed. ‘’When I go into heat, it simplifies my feelings to the point where I cannot distinguish between love or lust. I simply want things, or I don’t. There is not an in-between and thus my mixed feelings for you became an uncomplicated desire to breed. In that moment, I _did_ love you, but it was the fleeting sort, like when butterflies dance with one another in a field. The excitement of that dance passes and they find themselves alone once more.’’

‘’You don’t want to be with me?’’

Wilhelm jumped back as if he was hurt. ‘’No, no, that’s not what I meant! I’m merely unsure of how I feel about you and I wasn’t sure if you were comfortable with that.’’

‘’Look, Wilhelm, it’s really sweet that you’re thinkin’ about what humans do, but you’ve gotta remember that we’re not a human couple. I don’t really care if we’re kissing and cuddling or not. Way I see it, we both have wants and needs and can go to each other to have ‘em met, yeah? And who knows, maybe someday it’ll be somethin’ more.’’

‘’So… you’re okay with this even if it’s complicated?’’

‘’Yeah, I’m aight with this.’’ He nodded. ‘’This can jus’ be fun, at least for now.’’

‘’…I’m actually really glad we sorted this out, Robin. I was feeling guilty about all of this and now a burden has been lifted off my shoulders.’’

‘’Me too, but I have to ask…’’ He pointed to Wilhelm. ‘’What’s with the robe?’’

‘’I thought I should have the decency to cover myself up.’’ He said it as if it were obvious. ‘’But as you can see, it’s not particularly effective.’’ He chuckled.

‘’…Not entirely. I mean, I can only see your arse if the wind is blowin’.’’ He giggled, revelling in the way Wilhelm blushed. ‘’Jokes aside, I reckon ya look gorgeous in a short lil’ robe.’’

‘’Danke, Robin.’’

**~***~**

Wilhelm felt relieved. Since escaping the dizzied, stupefied haze that heat brought upon him, he had felt a terrible worry gnawing at every thought. At first he had been concerned that he had been too rough, or perhaps too forceful, but with how calm and content Robin was, it seemed that everything that had transpired was to his liking. Wilhelm had enjoyed it, too. He felt as if he had finally released some of his desire by properly breeding with another, rather than quietly and shamefully touching himself to the thought.

But once he had a clear mind, another fear came to light, regarding the nature of their relationship. In all honesty, Wilhelm wasn’t sure if he _could_ fall in love. Such a trait could have been accidentally bred out of the Ludwig family. Impulses and spontaneous desire were not commonplace in his world and that of his kin, seeing as it was all so carefully tailored. In his time pretending to be human, he had seen men and women alike surrender to unplanned and very sudden affection.

He so envied them.

Even if he did love, or was capable of it, Wilhelm wasn’t sure if he could identify it among the violent storm of other feelings. Such a feeling was unmistakably _human_. While his kind could have compassion, empathy and show kindness, he wondered if romantic attraction – at least of the spontaneous sort – could exist in him. He knew that it did within some. He had seen some secretive, scandalous couples, claiming they were truly in love, rather than pretending to be for the family that had arranged it for them.

Unlike him, they had somewhere to run when it all went wrong; each other.

Wilhelm never had that luxury.

He rested his head on Robin’s shoulder and listened to the night’s melancholy, yet peaceful sounds. It contrasted beautifully with the busy beehive that was the manor. The clinks of plates, squeal of pipes and whoosh of dust brushes were beautifully faint from here and drowned out by the slight creak of the tree’s branches, the whistle of the wind and Robin’s soft breaths.

Wilhelm could smell the hunter’s blood from this close. It was especially potent, now. He had an appetite, and it was only growing. All of the strain from changing shape had only made him hungrier. He found himself nuzzling his nose against Robin, greedily taking in more of that mouth-watering aroma. But as he continued to inhale, he caught a strikingly familiar scent.

His own.

The knowledge that he had passed a part of himself on to the hunter was just as horrifying as it was exciting. He had practically marked the man as his. Now, no other vampire could lay hands on him or rather, bite him without his knowledge. It was frightening in that he had practically branded Robin and publicly displayed the man as his. And yet, it was exciting to a perverse aspect of his being that wanted not only others to see his dominance, but Robin too.

‘’Are ya hungry again?’’ Robin asked, shying away from his heated breaths.

‘’Unfortunately, yes.’’ Wilhelm replied, mourning the absence of that delicious scent. ‘’May I have a sample?’’ He purred, closing the gap once more and sneaking to his throat. He licked his teeth, ready to taste blood if Robin allowed him to do so.

Robin thought for a moment, cruelly torturing him by making him wait. ‘’Y’know what? Maybe tomorrah.’’ He finally answered. Wilhelm knew it would be simply painful to wait. He wanted blood _now_. He was not even close to starvation and yet he was so very hungry. ‘’I’ve been thinkin’ about doin’ somethin’ a little more excitin’ than jus’ a quick bite.’’ 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter is gonna be fun!


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I smell yet more fetish trash uh oh  
> ...I have no idea how to tag this chapter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some semi-important stuff in end notes if you would care to read it ❤  
> Oh, and happy new year!

Wilhelm was tossing and turning in his sleep, narrowly bordering on consciousness.

The scent of blood had burrowed into his dreams, sneaking into a world of fantasy. It brought back memories of wedding parties, birthdays and special events, when that delightful scent was simply inescapable. It delivered the excitement of a proper feast and the potential to gorge himself without judgement. It made him feel a childlike glee, knowing that for once, all would be merry and joyous. Feeding was such a simple thing, and yet, it had this way of restoring peace and bringing high spirits with it. He remembered the servant boys with low collars that exposed the richest veins of their necks, the chalices full of specially groomed and prepared blood, the smiling, happy people and the laughter in a once miserable home. The little things came back, like the burning candles, the flowers and the excessive, yet beautiful decorations.

His memories began to sour. The delicious feasts began to rot, the extravagant décor was shattered and the laughter turned to sobs. A nostalgic feeling was bubbling inside of him, rising higher and higher. It was surfacing, revealing old sensations and feelings whether he wanted to remember them or not. Sounds, feelings and familiar, painful things all came back, chasing him like hounds. He could almost hear the ancient tick of a clock, the scrape of claws against the walls as they approached, warning him of his coming treatment, the invasive presence crawling inside of him, the voices in his head screaming their demands. He remembers how his wrists ached, how his appendages burned, how his body screamed for mercy. How the eyes invaded his skin and tore it apart in a desperate attempt to understand his surroundings, only to be blinded. He could almost feel the tears, the dizziness, the gnawing hunger, the desperation and the fear. It was all coming back, all emerging from the darkest corners of his being. He could smell the blood, feel it being brought to his nose to torture his body and mind alike. Those feelings had been feeding in the dark, growing stronger and bigger, plotting their vengeance for locking them away and forcing their memory to disappear. And yet, they had never truly dissolved.

Wilhelm woke up, mouth watering and body tingling. He was shivering, despite the sweat lingering on his skin.

Wilhelm turned over, ready to slip into unconsciousness once more when it occurred to him that he could still smell blood. It was a potent odour, as if it had come to the surface and was oozing from the flesh, beckoning him to it as if it were honey dripping from a dangerous bee’s nest. He sniffed the air, curious as to where it was coming from. He wondered if someone had attempted to jump the fence again or tripped on the paving outside the gates. But the scent was far closer, no, it was _inside_ the manor.

The only human that lived here was Robin.

Something had to be wrong.

Wilhelm rose from the soft bedding. He sniffed again, trying to determine the speed of the flow. It certainly wasn’t fatal, but it wasn’t like he had opened a tiny little scab, either. Wilhelm caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror as he made his way to the door. He looked ridiculous. Though he was back to his normal height, his weight was not yet optimal. He still lacked the plumpness of the human figure and thus his nightshirt draped from him. His pants were baggy, and it felt as if he were wearing a blanket. His jaw was not yet correct, either and if he were to smile, it would be too large for comfort. His eyes lacked pigment. Though he had pupils and irises now, the latter were colourless. He looked like a corpse. The paleness certainly didn’t help in that regard.

Wilhelm told himself that this uncanny form would not last much longer. He would be human before he knew it. Or at least, he hoped so.

He went down the hall and knocked on the door to Robin’s room. ‘’Are you alright, Robin? I can smell blood.’’ He called, searching for the man. When he got no response, his heart quickened. ‘’Robin?’’ He called again, to get nothing. He made a decision and opened the door. He felt as if he was intruding but knew that it was necessary. The man could very well be bleeding to death and he simply could not let that happen.

In a panic, his eyes scanned the room, looking for the source. The scent was the strongest in here and he could sense it flowing out like a waterfall. His senses fixed to the bed, where Robin was, resting on his side, completely nude and tracing his thigh with his index. Those eyes met his and the hunter smiled. His eyes located the blood immediately. It was sliding down his arm in thick, oversized drops from a lengthy cut.

‘’I knew you’d rock up eventually.’’ Robin said, raising his arm and showing off the fresh gash that ran down it. Blood oozed from that red line, spilling out of the wound and onto the skin, painting it a vivid red.

‘’You can’t scare me like that!’’ He cried out, suddenly frustrated. ‘’I was terribly worried. I thought that you were badly hurt!’’

‘’I mean, your gut instinct wasn’t wrong.’’ He gestured to the hunting knife on the countertop. ‘’This didn’t just show up on its own.’’

‘’Oh gott… you cut yourself, didn’t you?’’ His body was going into a panic. His heart was racing and pounding, fighting him, trying to take control.

‘’What can I say? I wanted to surprise ya.’’ He was horrifyingly calm. He even sounded excited.

‘’I’ll go and get something to help with—‘’

Robin ignored him. ‘’Nah, mate. C’mere… I’ll give ya somethin’ to eat.’’ He had an alluring air about him, his voice was curling and twisting to beckon him over. ‘’I know you’re hungry so ya can’t pretend that you’re not.’’

‘’No… I…’’ He was distracted by the sight of that flowing, leaking wound. ‘’…There was no need to hurt yourself. You know I’m fully capable of drawing blood painlessly…’’ The scent was simply intoxicating. It felt as if all thought was being drowned in that delicious, seductive aroma. Each thought struggled to swim to the surface, as if they were swimming through tar.

‘’But what’s the fun in that?’’ He teased. Robin collected some of the blood on his finger and showed it to him. ‘’Don’t ya want some?’’ Robin sucked it off his finger, showing off to him.

Envy rippled through him at the sight. Hunger invited itself inside of him, trespassing on his every thought and feeling. It all became hunger and want. His body itched from inside, desperate for rich, nourishing blood. He wanted a feast. He wanted to lick that cut clean and drink from that overflowing well of blood. And yet, something stopped him. Perhaps it was dignity, or a stubborn sense of righteousness.

Robin brought a bloodied index to his lips, tempting him. The scent became too much and pure instinct took over. It took control of him, gripping his consciousness and swallowed up every part of his body. That coppery, delicious aroma swirled through him, enticing instinct further. His mouth watered and his fingers twitched. His fangs protruded further, poking into his lips.

‘’I don’t know what cruel prank you’re playing on me but I would ask that this—‘’

‘’—C’mon, ya don’t have to pretend like you’re above this. I’ll let ya have a lick.’’ He waved the wound to him in the same way one shows a bone to a dog.

And he responded like a mutt. He had to wipe the saliva from his chin as it spilled from his lips. ‘’Robin, stop this, now.’’ He hissed. The words came out as doubtful and insincere, further revealing his desire to feed. ‘’We are capable of doing this in a civil manner.’’ 

‘’I don’t think ya want that.’’ Robin sat up and shifted closer to him, bringing the weeping wound closer. The sight was just about overwhelming. His resistance faltered and for a moment his body jolted as if to lunge towards the rich supply of blood before his eyes. His tongue swept his mouth, searching and lusting. He needed to taste it. He was a slave to hunger. He could not disobey the forceful overlord that was his thirst for blood. The whip cracked against him, beating him into submission and demanding that he gorge himself. Wilhelm remained steadfast. He could take the punishment. He had learned to endure this.

That sentiment was torn to pieces when Robin brought his arm to Wilhelm’s nose. The concentrated, thick scent gushed through his system. His resistance collapsed and broke, allowing instinct to emerge from the rubble. Hunger cruelly tugged the chain around his neck, demanding his obedience. His every sense was ravaged by his desire to feed and his body refused to listen to reason any longer.

He gave in.

Wilhelm licked the wound. He swept it with his tongue, going all the way down the length of the cut to collect all the available blood. He licked it and suckled it like an animal, with only impulse and unrelenting yearning in control. He couldn’t stop himself. The taste had seduced his mind, consumed all morality and crushed all of his anxieties. A low, satisfied purr emerged from his throat. It was a torn, divided sound; split between his monstrous form and his current state.

And then, Robin took it all away. The delicious well of blood was gone. He looked up to the hunter, demanding more. ‘’I knew it.’’ Robin laughed triumphantly. He returned to a sultry tone. ‘’Do ya want more, Wilhelm?’’ He showed off his seeping, juicy wound. ‘’Ya don’t have to answer. I know ya do.’’

Wilhelm nodded quickly.

‘’I’ll give ya more, but there’s a catch.’’ He began to unravel a peculiar offer to him. ‘’I’ve been wanting to try somethin’ a little… interestin’ with ya.’’ He thought for a moment, collecting the correct words. ‘’To put it bluntly, I would like ya to get in my head. I know ya can do it and real easily, too. So, I want ya to get in there and do whatever ya want with me. Jus’… have fun with me, y’know?’’

‘’But… why would you want that?’’ He asked, dumbfounded by his request.

‘’Bloody hell, Wilhelm. Isn’t it obvious? It’s a turn-on.’’ He said, exasperated.

‘’l… don’t want to do that to you.’’ Every word had to be forced out of the clogged well of his mind.

‘’I want ya to do it to me.’’ He said, insisting on the matter. ‘’Think of it this way. Ya get to fuck me however ya want and get free blood while ya do it. Oh, and as an added bonus, I get my bloody rocks off to it.’’ Put like that, it was far less jarring and frightening. And yet, it still felt wrong somehow. Was it okay to abuse Robin’s mind under the excuse of a depraved romp? Wilhelm couldn’t be certain.

‘’Gott, Robin… I don’t know. It doesn’t seem… right…’’ He managed to say that at least.

‘’It doesn’t have to be right, does it?’’ He retorted. ‘’You have total control here, what happens is entirely up to you, yeah? It doesn’t even have to be rough. It could be a nice little snuggle in bed and that’s it. All I want is to have ya in my head.’’

‘’Are… are you sure?’’ His eyes drifted to the oversized droplet of blood precariously hanging from Robin’s finger. He so wanted it.

‘’Yeah, I’m sure.’’ Robin said with certainty.

**~***~**

Wilhelm’s eyes went dark and the world followed suit.

The room melted away like wax, leaving only puddles of what once was his bedroom. Even those remnants were swept away, leaving only darkness. Robin stood in the void and watched as the vampire before him underwent a breathtaking transformation. He escaped from the terrible transitional form and into what he truly was, if not more than that. He went beyond what Robin had seen and ascended far past humanity. Dozens of tentacles emerged from him, shredding any semblance of what could be considered human. His body grew to be terribly tall and long, with an almost skeletal appearance. It appeared as if a thin layer of pale skin was desperately clinging to his bones. A permanent grin made its way on his face as oversized teeth forced his jaw open. A forked tongue dangled from the edge, dripping with saliva. The talons on his hands returned to their former glory, this time with a serrated edge. He knew it was nowhere near over. The vampire had so much more to show to him. He heard snaps and cracks from his back and watched as magnificent, silky wings burst from him, tearing flesh and bone to make room. They were covered in the luxuriously soft fur like that of a moth’s wings and were adorned by dark eyes. There was no looking away from the unfathomable, glorious creature before him.

A mass of tentacles carried Wilhelm as he curled around Robin as a snake coils around its prey. Pointed teeth just grazed the lobe of his ear as a clear voice entered his mind. It sounded so much like the vampire, yet so unlike him. It was low, deep and carried the same inflections. It resounded in the empty space, claiming all sound as its own.

_Tell me where we are._

It was such a simple question. ‘’Your bedroom.’’ He said. The answer was obvious.

In accordance with his answer, the void rebuilt itself. Structures began to form and weave themselves together. It was like watching a fire in reverse, where the ashes were unburnt and restored themselves into what they once were. The stage was being set by shadowy, unseen hands. The extravagant bed was made beneath him and the curtains came to life, swaying in the wind. The vampire towered over him, seemingly grinning from ear to ear. Robin could hardly breathe. It was all so much. He felt a stiffness against his thigh, pressing up against him and demanding attention. The creature was stunning in every regard to the point where his heart was pounding against his chest and adoration welled inside of him, making him feel restless and warm.

His enormous wings fluttered seductively, drawing his gaze to the dark, alluring eyes on them. Robin couldn’t stop staring. His attention had been absorbed by them and completely engulfed. They had entrapped his mind and taken it all away. Wilhelm could have all of him. Robin would give it all to him. He wanted him to have it. He wanted this creature to take him. The void opened the fortified door to his mind, tearing it down effortlessly. He felt the beast slithering through his mind, forcing his way inside of it and opening it all up. He felt a foreign, invasive presence inside of his very being, in his blood, in his flesh and every thought. It took all of him, dissected what was there and renewed every aspect of it. It was being pulled apart, stitched back together, rearranged and reconfigured for the vampire’s purposes.

New ideas and thoughts crushed the old and he accepted them wholeheartedly. They were thoughts of submission, obedience and utter servitude. His entirety longed to obey the vampire’s every wish. His mind ached to be his puppet, made to do obscene and deliciously filthy acts for his inhuman master’s pleasure. His body craved rough and violent exploitation, to be made into a toy to be used over and over again until he broke. He wanted to be sullied and dirtied until he was covered with the product of their lust. The most sensitive parts of him pulsed at the thought of truly belonging to the vampire.

_What is it that you desire most?_

He could not resist his voice. It was beautiful in every way, like a rehearsed performance. Each word was said with incredible clarity and it drowned out everything else.

‘’To serve…’’ It came out of him as a lecherous moan.

_Kneel._

He didn’t hesitate for a single moment. He fell to his knees and watched as his vampire master slithered onto the bed. He was elegant and dangerous, like a serpent. Wilhelm’s slender fingers trailed down his body, deliberately showing off his gorgeous figure. His tentacles began to spread out, parting and spreading out wide to reveal his most sensitive, tantalising places. He made a performance out of it and displayed himself with pride and an alluring confidence. Tentacles curled and twisted in the air, illuminating with vibrant colour and brightening the dim room with an unrivalled beauty. Sweat began to bead on his skin as he grew hotter.

The colours faded and a hand roughly grabbed him by the hair, pulling him closer. The vampire’s talons dug into his scalp, threatening to tear skin if he didn’t obey.

_Please me._

That command was a growl in his ears. A firm, stern order that he would not dare to refuse. Robin closed the distance and began to lick the growing bulge that nested so comfortably on Wilhelm’s abdomen. He quite liked how covert it was. It brought him an immense feeling of satisfaction to please Wilhelm. He rubbed the slit with his tongue, feeling wetness spill from it with every passionate stroke. He began to suck on the swelling, applying pressure to excite Wilhelm further. An animalistic purr emerged from deep in the vampire’s throat and a trickle of wetness filled his mouth as a reward for his efforts. He gladly swallowed it up and increased the pressure. He could feel it twitching and pulsating against his mouth. It was swelling up, growing larger as he lovingly stroked it. He wanted to feel it open up against his tongue and watch as his magnificent cock rushed out. He only hoped it would force its way down his throat and violate it until it ached.

He could feel tentacles lightly curling around his body, wrapping around each one of his limbs. One coiled around his neck like a collar, unlike the rest, that one was firm. It wasn’t enough to choke him, but it applied enough pressure to remind him to behave. He didn’t need reminders, but by god the austerity of it was arousing.

Words of praise were pumped into him, lining every thought with a happiness he could not replicate in any other way. Invisible hands pampered his mind, stroking and soothing his being. Listening to the vampire’s aroused snarls and purrs drove him wild. He reached down as to touch himself to the sights and sounds only for a tentacle to pull his hand away. That gesture of dominance and power made him feel a stimulating, overwhelming desire to do more. Wilhelm had control over every part of him and that fact was more than enough to send a violent, needy jolt through his system.

The hand in his hair pulled his head away from the bump. He took a moment to admire his handiwork. Instead of being an innocuous little bump, it was now swollen, reddened and coated with a shining layer of saliva and Wilhelm’s own secretions. He noticed how the vampire licked his teeth and how saliva dripped from his mouth. He wanted to feed, and Robin would let him. He took initiative and tilted his head to expose his throat. The response was immediate, with the vampire practically lunging forward and mauling his neck. Teeth ripped the skin and his long, forked tongue licked it all up.

His hand was dragged to Wilhelm’s abdomen and the wordless command was made clear. He stroked it with first one finger. He added another, stroking and pressing against the sensitive slit. Hearing a satisfied whine, he went further. He began to squeeze and grope the swelling. He revelled in the way wetness dribbled onto his hand and how the heat upon contact only intensified with every touch. The knowledge that he was pleasing his master turned him on to no end and his penis surged, desperately hoping for a touch it could not have without the vampire’s permission.

A single word of praise was all he received.

_Good._

It was a hiss in his ear, but it made him feel so good he could burst.

At last, Wilhelm’s fangs sunk into his neck and burrowed deep into his flesh to drink from him. His fangs were lined with something incredible and the moment it entered his bloodstream, he felt its effects as if a truck had crashed into his system. His heartrate kicked up, his breaths quickened and his mind began to race. His cock stiffened and itched for any sort of stimulation and his body numbed with desire. His every other want was smothered by a need for sex. He wanted it to be rough and hasty, so that he would ache the next morning. He wanted to have the pain as a reminder of how powerful and forceful the vampire could be. He craved the sensation of being full of his master’s passion, he needed the product of their lust inside of him. The squeeze of Robin’s hands grew to be forceful and the vampire groaned as he fed from him. Unable to be contained any longer, fluids dripped from his hands onto the sheets.

His blood was suckled with speed. The vampire fed like a starved animal and never relented in his efforts. The sensation of his blood being drained was not one he would adjust to. It was slightly different every time. It felt sensuous and passionate this time, with the vampire hastily feasting without pause. His body was being drowned with pleasurable buzzes, pulses and throbs. He would let the vampire drink forever if he so desired. It all felt so _good._

It was almost too good to be true.

**~***~**

Wilhelm felt… _conflicted_.

Seeing the hunter before him, dazed, ruttish and needy made him feel everything from excitement to immense guilt. Knowing that he had induced this stupefied state dirtied his conscience. It felt as if he was committing a crime and violating the man’s mind. Watching how those green eyes darted around and fixated on objects that weren’t really there was nothing short of horrific. But on the contrary, it seemed that Robin was enjoying this. His movements were enthusiastic, intense and passionate. He was glad to have brought the hunter pleasure and excitement and some for himself.

Feeling both the delicious gush of blood on his tongue and the hunter’s fingers flicking against the most sensitive and desirous of places made his heart flutter and his system burn with need. He ran his hands through his hair, soothing him and offering a fleeting gentleness to him. He feasted on the hunter’s blood , wolfing it down with little regard to the wondrous taste. Feeling his appetite finally being satisfied by a rich flood of blood was near bliss. He injected his prey with another potent cocktail of a numbing agent and an aphrodisiac, gifting him with that excitement in exchange for such a delightful meal.

He wondered what Robin was seeing and experiencing. Based on his words – both coherent and incoherent – his delusions were far more extreme and fetishized than the reality. It had been fascinating to begin this chain reaction, to plant a single idea in his mind and watch as it ricocheted into something far more extensive. That single idea had mutated and developed in line with the hunter’s deepest desires. Wilhelm was well aware that Robin was in love with the illusion, not the reality. Simple prompts had been the seeds of his fantasy, things such as the location and what he wanted out of it had been the only nutrients needed. He felt filthy for asking the hunter to touch him like this, but he convinced himself that it was what Robin wanted.

The truly frightening thing was that Wilhelm had discovered that he was the one that wanted Robin like this. The image of him on his knees with pleading eyes and a compulsive need to obey had roused something terrible within him. The signs had been subtle at first, like a heat on his face upon asking him to kneel. But when asking for more, he had felt a rush unlike anything else. The temptation to snap the thread of Robin’s control was growing ever stronger. He could no longer resist it. It would be so easy just to take all of him and make him a permanent slave to his every whim.

He closed his eyes, entering a place where he didn’t belong. He burrowed himself inside, feeling not an ounce of resistance as he forced his way in. He saw the object of his desire, a glowing, vibrant strand that he could rip out and replace with his own. He and Robin could be intertwined forever, linked for eternity as master and slave. All it would take was a little tug and he could have everything. He reached out, feeling its energy against him. It would only take a moment to consume it, to take his will, to snatch his mind and soul and swallow it whole.

He couldn’t do it.

Wilhelm retreated from this place and promised himself that he would never do this again. Never ever. He would never even look at that precious part of Robin ever again. He would not go near it. He needed to control the temptation to deprive him of it. He could not take his freedom away. It was simply evil. He would be clipping a bird’s wings, preventing it from flying ever again all for a selfish desire to consume and take. 

This was too dangerous. He had to stop this. He did not belong in Robin’s mind. He could not tamper with that precious palace any longer. He was a constant threat. He was the storm lingering on the horizon that could rip it all apart any moment. He was a destructive being, no matter how much he tried to change. He could not escape his lineage. A long history of destruction and consumption had damned him from the start. It was embedded into him and had been there since the day of his conception.

Perhaps he should accept that damnation. Rebelling like this was foolish. He was only delaying the inevitable, wasn’t he?

A fire ran through him. He would not give in. He couldn’t. It would be so very _wrong._ He was not like them. He couldn’t be. He was better.

He didn’t even realise that he was still gorging himself on the man’s blood. It had been absentminded and solely based on muscle memory and instinct. He had selfishly overindulged now. And he supposed that was what he was: selfish. He ripped his fangs out, disgusted with himself.

‘’I’m so sorry.’’ He mumbled to Robin. In the state he was in, he wondered if the man could even hear him. Suddenly, a wave of exhaustion overcame him. Maintaining the illusion had stolen his energy and absorbed it all. It reminded him of how weak he truly was. His kin could do this for hours and yet, he had struggled to keep going for less than a single one. He felt blood gush from his nose and black spots speckled his vision, growing larger until they took over completely.

Wilhelm slumped on the soft blankets without a sound.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't worry he's fine  
> I'm sorry for gut punching you xx
> 
> As a side note, this part was hell to write. I originally intended to write something a bit more vanilla in nature but I had no interest in it. Foolishly, I tried to write it anyway. But as you can see, I couldn't do it. Overall I have mixed feelings about this part because I think the nightmarish process shows in the final product, so... yeah. 
> 
> I wanted to have something kinky here but a major issue with this want was that within the rules of the universe I had established, it was impossible for Wilhelm to change into a monstrous form on a whim, nor could he take the role of an aggressive monster dom with total control of Robin for the sake of smut (because his character wouldn't allow it) so I opted for a sort of... illusion of sorts for Robin, which was not ideal but still, it was a step up over what I had before. Imagine if it hadn't been an illusion, huh? 👀
> 
> On that note, I have been tempted to write a master/slave PWP fic with these two, where Wilhelm takes the role of a dom that has that total mind control over Robin. It would be against his morals as a character but we'll cross that bridge when (and if) we get there. I guess I'll consider it an AU. There wouldn't be any plot, just a series of smutty, kinky scenarios. Obviously it would be completely and unrelentingly self indulgent, but I'm curious if you guys would be interested in that, because it would be very different to all of my other work (which are for the most part narrative driven). So please, let me know if you'd like that.
> 
> Sorry about the ramble. I normally try to keep these brief for your sake but all of this stuff has been on my mind for a while. Especially that last part...


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which a special someone comes to hang out :)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Big news in end notes!

The scene faded away in an instant. Robin was back in his own bedroom, in his bed with nothing more than a memory of what had happened to him. He looked around, wondering if it had all been a dream.

But when he looked beside him, he realised that it had all been real. Or at least, some of it.

Wilhelm was face down on the bed, completely still. He patted his shoulder and hoped for some sort of response, only to get nothing. He ruffled his hair, hoping to wake him up. ‘’Wilhelm?’’ He prodded him again. ‘’Hey, mate, c’mon.’’ He shook him a little and he didn’t move. In a blind panic, he grabbed him by the hair and lifted his head. He first saw the black blood dripping from his nose and then the dark bags under his eyes. He could see his chest rising and falling and relief flowed through him, replacing the deep fear. He let out a long, soothed sigh. He was just unconscious.

Robin ran his hands through Wilhelm’s hair, comforting him. He grabbed a tissue from nearby and wiped the blood off his face. He made sure the bleeding had stopped before gently laying the vampire down. He pulled the blanket up, making sure the bloke was comfortable. He looked to the empty space beside him and thought about cuddling up beside Wilhelm. He knew it would be pleasant, tranquil and a refreshing change, but wondered if it was his place to do so. It was more so something that lovers did. And he couldn’t exactly tell him to bugger off, could he?

He considered carrying Wilhelm to his own bed so that they could keep that respectable distance between them. The man was still light and bony, so he could probably do it. But something stopped him. He felt that he owed it to the vampire to keep him company and to be there when he woke up. After all, it was Robin’s fault that he had passed out.

Robin wriggled beside Wilhelm and wrapped an arm around him, holding him close.

*******

Robin awoke to a strange sensation. It felt soft and fluttery, like butterflies landing on his forehead before flying away.

He opened his eyes, only to see Wilhelm lying beside him, snuggling close to him. The moment Wilhelm was seen, he flinched. He staggered backwards and moved away from him. ‘’O-Oh, good morning.’’ The vampire spoke with an atypical stammer. A redness bloomed on his cheeks and he averted his gaze. Robin noticed how he looked like himself again. From the cherubic features, bright blue eyes and charming smile, it was him down to even the subtlest of things. Even his fangs had been tactfully hidden from view and had instead been replaced by human-like canines.

‘’Mornin’.’’ He cooed softly, stretching out. ‘’What’s gotten ya so red, mate?’’ He knew that he’d caught Wilhelm red handed, doing… something.

‘’Nothing.’’ He said, chuckling nervously. ‘’I-I’m just a little warm, that’s all.’’

‘’You’re a terrible liar.’’ He scoffed, grinning at Wilhelm. ‘’Ya were up to somethin’.’’ He teased, pinching Wilhelm’s heated cheeks. ‘’I know ya were.’’

‘’I was not!’’ Wilhelm cried. His voice cracked, betraying his words.

‘’C’mon, you can tell me.’’ He offered him an opportunity to come clean.

Wilhelm thought for a moment and let out a sigh. He nodded shyly. ‘’Okay… promise me you won’t mock me for this.’’

‘’I won’t.’’

The vampire bit his lip and looked down. ‘’I… I kissed you. No, I _was_ kissing you and then you caught me and I wasn’t sure if it was okay and I thought that maybe it would make me feel—‘’ Wilhelm was talking in a panicked flurry, with each word rushing out of him at an incredible pace.

‘’No, Wilhelm. It’s okay.’’ He stopped him there and held him by the shoulders as if to steel him. ‘’Ya should’ve jus’… told me. We’ve… kissed b’fore, y’know. It’s not such a big deal.’’

‘’I-I’m sorry. I was afraid. I thought that maybe it wasn’t what you wanted and that it would upset you because it was more so a romantic thing than a sexual thing…’’

‘’No, Wilhelm, don’t be sorry.’’ He stroked his cheek. ‘’It was nice.’’ The panic in Wilhelm’s eyes settled into a strange calm. ‘’But next time, I want to be conscious for it, alright?’’

Wilhelm opened his mouth to speak and in one swift move, he kissed the vampire on the lips, revelling in the surprise on his features. Wilhelm was stunned and utterly speechless for what felt like a solid minute. ‘’I… I’m at a loss for words, Robin. I don’t know how to respond to this.’’

Robin laughed heartily. ‘’Are the rest of you lot this clueless?’’ He pulled Wilhelm in again and went to peck him again only for the bloke to start talking his head off.

‘’Yes! We’re all like this. If you haven’t already noticed, we’re not exactly an intimate species. We are married off, have sex, make copious amounts of children and pretend we don’t hate one another for the rest of our miserable lives! That’s it! I assure you that there is no kissing or cuddling in any of those steps.’’

‘’Well, don’t ya ever try?’’

‘’The lucky ones do.’’ Wilhelm sighed. ‘’Unfortunately, I carry bad luck like a black cat.’’

‘’What’s that supposed to mean?’’

‘’It doesn’t matter,’’ Wilhelm dropped the question entirely. ‘’I’m lucky now, aren’t I?’’ A warm smile spread on his face and he closed the gap. Robin felt soft lips against his and an exploratory, curious kiss began. It was slow and gentle yet questioning, intrigued and inquisitive. It was a test of sorts, to see what it felt like. It was strange, to kiss a man he felt so conflicted about. It was nice in a way but simultaneously confusing. It only muddied his emotions further and he would eventually have to trudge through it to discover what he truly felt.

Robin was certainly not looking forward to that.

Wilhelm parted from him and giggled. ‘’You know, the first time I saw your kind do this it terrified me.’’ He admitted. ‘’Because for vampires, putting your mouth close to another is typically a very clear sign of aggression. I thought that they were going to start biting each other!’’

‘’Hm, I can’t imagine ya fightin’ anyone.’’

‘’For good reason,’’ Wilhelm chuckled. ‘’I was usually the one being bitten.’’ He subconsciously pointed to his throat, recalling where he’d likely been ripped into over his life. Amazingly, there were no scars. Robin touched that place, feeling for any irregularities where scars once _could_ have been. But Wilhelm was right, vampires healed perfectly.

A long, enduring silence passed between them. It was the peaceful sort of quiet, filled with a passive, mutual happiness that permeated through the atmosphere itself. It was brought upon by a whole plethora of things, through their sated curiosity, the tranquil morning songs of birds, the distant smells of breakfast in the making and the comfort of the bed.

A thought came up and he couldn’t push it back down. ‘’Do ya want to talk about last night?’’

‘’I would, yes.’’ He replied. ‘’To be honest with you I wasn’t sure if you would even remember it.’’

‘’How could I forget somethin’ so good?’’

‘’You’re not disappointed?’’ Wilhelm perked up.

‘’No, it was bloody amazin’.’’

‘’You are aware that most of what you experienced wasn’t real, ja?’’

‘’I’m not a bloody idiot.’’ He scoffed.

‘’Okay, good. I just wanted to make sure that you knew…’’ Wilhelm muttered under his breath. ‘’I’m sorry for… stopping it all so abruptly.’’ He turned away, ashamed. ‘’I couldn’t cope with maintaining it all and it overwhelmed me.’’

‘’If I hear another apology out of ya I’ll punch ya. Stop bein’ sorry for shit. I had a nice time and that’s good enough for me. And it’s impressive ya could even do that sort of thing in the first place. So, quit mopin’, aight?’’ Robin pulled the vampire in closer and planted a fleeting kiss on his cheek.

‘’…Alright.’’ Wilhelm sighed.

‘’Oh, and it’s lovely that we’re finally gettin’ along and all, but I reckon we shouldn’t be all… intimate ‘round Jeremy.’’ He was thinking about seeing the kid again. ‘’I want to see him again soon and—‘’

‘’—Why not?’’ That question lingered in the air until Wilhelm’s mind answered it for him. ‘’…You’re hiding this from him, aren’t you?’’ The question transformed into an accusation.

Robin couldn’t understand how such a thing was a crime. He was merely preventing a fiery outburst from the bloke. He was keeping the peace by simply keeping his mouth shut. ‘’It’d make him uncomfortable.’’ He justified. ‘’I reckon it’s for the best. Sure, we’ve joked about y’know, you and me b’fore but I think he would really fuckin’ hate it if he witnessed it or knew about it. That’s why he doesn’t have to know, yeah?’’

‘’I… I don’t think it’s that easy… but if it’s what you desire, so be it.’’ He bit his lip. ‘’Though I will keep my mouth shut, know that your body is anything but quiet. You’re covered in scars and they imply far worse things than a gentle kiss on the mouth.’’

Robin looked down and fully processed the deep, jagged scars on him. It looked like he had been mauled by a bear. ‘’You’re right. It looks pretty bad.’’

‘’You’re going to need a very good excuse.’’ Wilhelm said, eyes darting to the wounds.

‘’Not really, I can jus’ say that you’re a bit rough when you’re hungry.’’ The kid had seen similar wounds, but they had never been so bad before. He supposed he had to choose between two evils. He either had to wait weeks for the scars to fade – even then, new bites would replace the old – or just bite the bullet and see the kid, even though he would react poorly to it.

‘’He hates me enough already, Robin, I don’t think he needs any more reason to.’’ Wilhelm protested. ‘’I would rather not have him attempt to kill me on sight…’’ He played it off as a joke, but a slight shake in his voice gave away his fear. ‘’And I’m not exactly in the mood to spend another whole day in my room.’’

‘’I get your point.’’ Robin nodded. ‘’But I can keep him calm, I promise.’’

‘’If you say so.’’ Wilhelm gave in. His voice gave away his blatant disbelief.

**~***~**

Jeremy felt his heart thumping as if he had just finished a lengthy jog. He stepped off the bus and made his way to the manor. He was so damn excited to see Robin that his walk turned to a sprint. He saw the needlessly prissy gates and ran faster. He slipped past the entrance, approaching the tall and luxurious manor as if it was nothing. He stopped at the doorstep and knocked on the door. As he waited, he tapped his foot against the ground. The door opened and immediately, his heart sank.

It was that douchebag, Wilhelm.

‘’Hello, Jeremy.’’ The bloodsucker said softly. He sounded friendly, as if they were best fucking buddies. ‘’I wanted to finally meet you on good terms.’’ He outstretched a hand and offered a gentle smile, as if he wasn’t a horrible monster.

He didn’t take the handshake. Bloodsuckers didn’t deserve them and especially not this one. ‘’Could’ja let me see my pal already?’’

Wilhelm froze. He hadn’t been expecting that. ‘’Yes, of course.’’ He mumbled. Reluctantly, the vampire opened the door. On the way in, Jeremy ‘accidentally’ nudged him with his elbow.

He strode through the house in search of his pal. Jeremy found him lying on the couch, book in hand. ‘’Yo, Robin!’’ He said excitedly. The loungeroom was dim but he could recognise his best friend almost immediately.

He shut the book and sat up, smiling at him. ‘’Hey, buddy.’’ He held up a hand, offering a high five. He gladly took the offer with a resounding slap. Robin recoiled and shook his now sore hand. ‘’Ow! Bloody hell, I think that’s the best one yet.’’

‘’You bet your ass it is!’’ He was proud of that one. Robin’s hand was already spotted with redness.

‘’Scooch over, I wanna sit there too.’’ He gestured to the couch.

Robin rolled his eyes and shifted over to one side instead of being sprawled all over it. ‘’Fine.’’ Jeremy hopped into his spot and eased into the soft material.

He heard footsteps from behind the couch and scowled, knowing Wilhelm was there. ‘’Is there room for one more?’’

Jeremy scoffed at that. No fucking way was that _thing_ joining him and Robin. ‘’Nope, but y’know ya could get us some drinks, yeah?’’ He snapped his fingers at the guy’s face, smiling at how he flinched.

He frowned and his eyes darted away. ‘’Oh…’’ He paused, thinking for a moment. ‘’No, you know where they are. You’re welcome to help yourself to drinks or to call for a servant.’’

‘’Right.’’ He said sarcastically.

‘’Jeremy, mate. Calm it down.’’ Robin patted him on the shoulder. Concern showed on his face, with his lips downturned, brows furrowed and voice somewhat stern.

‘’You care about this bloodsucker?’’ He cocked his thumb towards Wilhelm.

‘’Jeremy… you’re bein’ unreasonable.’’ He sighed. ‘’I know how ya feel but ya need to consider how he’s feelin’ as well, yeah?’’

‘’Why should I when he didn’t think about my fucking feelings when he locked ya up in this fucking place?!’’ He was yelling now, his anger turned into volume and strength.

‘’Maybe it’s best if I go—‘’ Wilhelm began, voice shaking pathetically.

‘’—No, no, Wilhelm, it’s alright. He’ll calm down, won’t ya, Jeremy?’’ It was so strange to hear Robin talk sweetly and gently to a goddamned vampire and then boss his best mate around like an unruly toddler.

‘’Fine, whatever.’’ He huffed. ‘’Just keep him away from my fucking neck.’’

‘’As you wish.’’ Wilhelm mumbled under his breath. He sat beside Robin and squeezed them all closer together. He shot the vampire a sharp glare, reminding him that he wanted him to fuck off, and preferably in a ditch somewhere.

‘’I was thinkin’ that we could watch a movie or somethin’ like that. I’m sure you’ve been very hard at work, Jeremy.’’ The Australian winked at him. ‘’So I thought that it’d be nice to unwind a bit.’’ Robin scooped up the remote and turned the TV on. He noticed the faintest smirk on his face before the screen lit up.

‘’No fucking way!’’ Jeremy piped out. He heard a familiar theme and saw a credits sequence he remembered so well. He loved this movie. He could practically recite the whole thing scene by scene if he wanted to.

‘’Jus’ for you, mate.’’ Robin patted him on the shoulder.

**~***~**

Wilhelm was rapidly learning that he disliked Jeremy.

It wasn’t his poor manners, messy nature or boyish characteristics, rather, it was his continuous and unrelenting disrespect that had swayed his opinion. Being around a young man that repeatedly insulted and berated him made him feel so many ugly things. He had experienced everything from anger, discomfort, insecure and even a twinge of fear. It was not fear for his own safety, but rather that of Jeremy’s. Because if he chose to strike, Wilhelm would have to fight back.

And in his experience, his fangs could be lethal. He knew the moment he tasted blood that he wouldn’t be able to stop.

Searching for comfort, he slumped against Robin’s shoulder and redirected his attention to the film. He had only seen a few films over his lifetime and even then, he couldn’t quite enjoy them in the same way that humans did. Sure, they were fascinating and creative, but he couldn’t quite understand many of the subjects or ideas presented. He considered it more like a lightshow than anything. But perhaps that was the pleasure of it, to be numb and thoughtless for a while.

Robin gently pushed him away, wordlessly reminding him that they were not supposed to be intimate.

Wilhelm couldn’t agree with that decision, no matter how much he wanted to. In his mind, this could not be hidden forever. Something would give it away. The human mind was very clever. All it would take was a suggestion for Jeremy to make the leap. It was foolish to try to hide it.

As the movie played out, Wilhelm began to feel more and more like an outsider. Robin would turn to Jeremy at regular intervals then mutter something or rather and they would laugh together. They weren’t little chuckles, either, it was roaring, hearty laughter.

Wilhelm supposed there was enough room on the list of unpleasant feelings for jealousy.

~***~

Robin couldn’t even count how many times he’d seen this. Though he knew that every one of those times had been beside Jeremy. A warm smile lingered on his face and refused to leave. He just felt an ordinary sort of bliss, brought upon by the most mundane of things. He was sitting with his friends, watching a movie and that was good enough for him.

Wilhelm nudged him, just gently. ‘’I’m going to go out for some fresh air.’’ He said softly and rose to his feet. Soon after, he heard the thump of the front door opening.

‘’Thank fuck he’s gone!’’ Jeremy sighed out in relief. ‘’I’m so sick of his sorry ass lingering around like we want him there.’’

‘’Ya should quieten down a bit, he’ll come back inside any minute.’’ Robin suggested, hoping to keep the conflict minimal. As if to contradict his words, he heard the sputtery sound of a car’s engine.

‘’You were saying?’’ Jeremy said haughtily.

‘’Bloody hell, he’s never done that b’fore.’’ He scratched at himself, thinking. ‘’I didn’t even know he could drive.’’

‘’He’s probably gonna go off into town for a quick snack, eh?’’ Jeremy elbowed him.

‘’I doubt it.’’ Robin replied.

Jeremy sat up and went straight to the fridge. Robin scowled. The kid hadn’t gotten himself anything prior because of his pride. ‘’Holy shit!’’ He cried excitedly as he opened the doors. ‘’This is the fullest fridge I’ve ever seen!’’

Robin got up as well and joined the kid. ‘’Yeah. Wilhelm keeps it stocked for me.’’

‘’Shit, I should come here more often! Not even my mom buys this much food!’’ He said excitedly.

‘’I mean, go roight on ahead. There’s more than enough for me.’’ He shrugged. He sounded calm, but deep inside, he was worried about Wilhelm. He never took off like that.

Jeremy fetched himself an apple from the fridge and took a bite out of it. ‘’Hey, you up for another movie?’’

‘’Sure, mate.’’ He could never refuse his boyish smile and the glittering happiness in his eyes even when fear was festering deep in his gut.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, remember the PWP fic I was talking about in the last chapter? 
> 
> I wrote the first chapter of it because I felt like it and a handful of you lovely people said that you'd like it and so it's out. Sorry about posting two works at once but I thought it would be the most convenient to do so and easiest for people to find it ❤
> 
> You can find it here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28751655/chapters/70500435


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ANGST GALORE
> 
> Warning: !!Eye trauma!! It's not in much detail but if you're sensitive to that sort of thing, tread carefully, okay?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry.

Wilhelm stopped by a park.

He ripped the keys out of the car and stepped out into the night air. It was soothing in a way, to be in his element and all alone. His kind enjoyed the night but since integrating with humanity, had abandoned their nocturnal habits in favour of blending in. Wilhelm was no exception. He enjoyed the night. He missed its calmness sometimes, but he also liked the excitement the day brought.

The quiet let him think. He liked that about the night. And right now, he needed to think. A lot.

He locked the car behind him as he strode towards the lake. It was fitted with a fountain that made jets of water stream up into the sky before ceremoniously falling back into the lake. He had a soft spot for these sorts of unnecessary yet beauteous displays. He sat by the water’s edge and watched the inky water flowing. The night air was cool on his skin and crept under his shirt to steal the heat from him. He was tempted to swim but knew that the water was full of algae, muck and rubbish. That clearness was merely an illusion. In the dark, he could only see the pretty jets of water flowing from the fountain. The ugliness within was just about invisible.

Wilhelm looked at his hands and flexed them, allowing his talons to shred his carefully sculpted nails. No-one could see him, anyhow. The park was deserted and it was pitch black, like a void, almost. Except, there was sound in this void. This void carried the sounds of running water, cooing owls and distant cars. He held himself, gripping the fabric of his shirt with his black claws. He imagined dissolving his nerves and unwinding his flesh so that he could transform, reject his humanity and simply lay on the bank with his extremities dipping into the water.

He smiled. He could be a simple monster if he wanted. There would be no more stress, no more worry, no more feelings of shame, isolation or rejection… it would be blissfully empty.

But that was a lie, wasn’t it? Those feelings wouldn’t just disappear. They would linger until he finally confronted him. It would be running away all over again. He had run once. He knew that such uncomfortable feelings of deviancy, loathing and disgust would not just vanish. Even now, he felt them gnawing at his very mind in the cover of night. Sometimes memories would resurface, and Wilhelm took it upon himself to drown them again. But alas, they would always return with the tide.

He shuddered with a sudden sense of nostalgia. In his younger years, he used to do the same thing as he did now. If he was feeling overwhelmed, he used to go to the old family garden. He would sit by the decorative pond and watch the fat, colourful koi swim back and forth. Sometimes the servant boys would come to him to bring him a quick feed. In the privacy of the garden, he would sometimes hold their hands and kiss their necks. It had been curious, at first. Innocent. Those small moments had been like flickers of hope in a hopeless world.

His breath hitched. He couldn’t allow himself to do this again. Wilhelm had come here to feel safe, not to wallow in old memories.

Wilhelm had needed to escape from even the present situation. He was always trying to swim away from the tide but without fail, it swallowed him up every time. Robin’s friend had chipped away at him and made him feel unwelcome in his own home. He could understand the young man’s hatred but he only wished he would keep it to himself. It made him feel almost as if he was unworthy of being the hunter’s friend, seeing as he wasn’t human like Jeremy. But then again, he _wasn’t_ worthy of Robin. He had taken his life away and—

He hissed in frustration. Why couldn’t he feel good? There was always guilt on his conscience, nibbling and chewing up his thoughts into nothing but loathing and fear. Robin was his friend. The hunter cared about him and he didn’t expect him to be human. He liked him even if he was a terrible creature and it was wrong of him to even hope that Jeremy would accept him in that same way. But it didn’t quite change how he uncomfortable he felt. He so wanted to be accepted by Jeremy or even tolerated by him. That was all he wanted. He just wanted to feel like a person.

Wilhelm flopped onto his back and looked up to the stars. And as he admired every shining spot in the sky, all he could only think of how much he wanted Robin to be there by his side.

**~***~**

The credits were rolling, and Jeremy had fallen asleep on Robin’s shoulder. His eyes were closed, and he heard the smallest little snore from him. Gently, he pushed the bloke aside, ensuring that he was comfortable and wouldn’t wake up before getting up to check outside. He opened the door very quietly and looked for the car that had disappeared hours ago. Wilhelm still wasn’t back, and his heart shook with worry. His eyes darted to the empty road and he hoped to see a car drive in. He wanted to go off and find him, but he knew how stupid that would be. He had no idea where the vampire was, no less where he could have gone. As far as he knew, the vampire was a bit of a shut-in, so where could he have possibly gone?

It was an awfully long time to just be ‘getting some fresh air’.

Robin listened for cars, but nothing came. He was beginning to wonder when he would come back or if he would even come back at all. He couldn’t call him or even trace him, so what was he supposed to do?

He let out a long sigh and walked back indoors. Part of him felt guilty for not sitting there and watching the road but he knew better than that. It would be silly. It’d make Wilhelm feel awkward. As he returned to the halls, he heard an odd, rustling sound.

**~***~**

Jeremy woke up on the couch to the fading sound of music. The movie was well and truly over. Robin was nowhere to be seen. Knowing him, the guy probably went to take a piss. Jeremy yawned and got up from the couch. He fixed himself another can of soda and as he sipped at the sweet, fizzy drink he couldn’t help but notice that the office down the hall was wide open. He strode right on in and looked around. He knew that people kept all sorts of filthy shit on their computers and when he saw the one on the desk, he felt a bubbling excitement. But that excitement quickly faded when he noticed that it looked to be from the dinosaur age. He would be amazed if it even worked. Instead, his eyes wandered to the trash bin next to the desk, which was full of old papers and documents.

It also had a letter in it.

Jeremy reached in and rummaged in it like a raccoon. He scooped up the envelope and inspected it. There was a wax seal on it, as if it had been sent by some rich scumbags. That had caught his eye immediately. He popped the seal off and—

‘’What the fuck are you doin’?’’ Robin cried, stunned and bewildered. He practically ran into the room.

‘’What does it look like? I’m doing a background check or whatever they’re called.’’ He smiled toothily. ‘’People hide the filthiest shit in their bins, y’know.’’ He chuckled. ‘’I bet’cha that Wilhelm has something real juicy in here.’’

‘’Don’t ya reckon we could respect his privacy?’’ Robin asked it as if it were fucking obvious and that he was stupid.

‘’No, pal, he could be up to shady shit and it’d be slipping right under your fucking nose if it wasn’t for me.’’ He tore the envelope open without a care. ‘’I mean, look at this! It’s got a seal on it, for all we know it could be full of cash!’’

‘’Jeremy!’’ He scolded, attempting to snatch the envelope from him before he peeped at the contents. Jeremy shied away from him and pulled the letter out. ‘’C’mon, give the guy a break. First ya harassed him all arvo and now ya want to snoop around in his private shit.’’

He couldn’t understand why Robin cared about that bloodsucker so much. ‘’I don’t care, pally. If he’s up to no good we’re gonna know about it.’’ He looked at the letter and began to read it. In mere seconds, his excitable grin faded into a scowl. ‘’Shit. It’s in fucking gibberish!’’ He yelled.

‘’Why are ya so bloody suspicious of him? He’s not doin’ anythin’ wrong.’’ Robin asked, frustrated in both his tone and his face. ‘’He hasn’t even laid a finger on ya and you’re all up in arms.’’ He snapped, growing more and more frustrated. ‘’I mean, thank fuck it’s not in bloody English because it’s none of your goddamn business.’’

‘’But it is my business! You’re my best fucking friend!’’ Jeremy poked the Australian’s chest, using his index like a knife. ‘’This vampire has shit to hide and you shouldn’t protect him. If it were up to me, I would’ve shot his brains out already!’’

Robin was taken aback. ‘’He’s not a bad bloke.’’ He tried to comfort him. ‘’He’s not the horrible bloodsuckin’ thing ya think he is.’’

‘’Would a good guy take you from your best friend, Robin?’’ He snarled, feeling anger burning in his skin. He wanted to slap the Australian. ‘’Would a good fucking guy trick you into liking him and giving him blood on the daily?’’

‘’Look, mate, I know it’s a shit situation for ya—‘’

‘’For _me?_ Nah, pally, it’s shit for _you._ ’’ Jeremy retorted.

‘’But I’ve made the best of it, haven’t I?’’

‘’I would hardly call it the best, look, man, you’re covered in bites!‘’ He snapped his fingers at the reddened, swollen marks all over his neck. ‘’He’s bleeding you dry like his goddamned cow!’’

‘’He’s been good about—‘’

At that very moment, a photograph dropped out of the letter. It clicked to the ground and in an instant, Jeremy scooped it up.

As he looked closer, he felt his heart drop. The colour drained from his face and all of his thoughts were wiped clean as if a nuke had blown them all up at once. ‘’H-Holy shit…’’ He breathed, astounded. ‘’Oh my fucking god, I think I’m gonna hurl.’’ He put a hand over his mouth. His eyes were wide and couldn’t move from the picture. He could hardly believe it. He didn’t even know if the picture was real but it looked fucking real. He could see a monster with glittery black eyes, massive teeth, horrible claws and slimy, alienlike tentacles everywhere. It was covered in blood as if it had been swimming in it. The slick _things_ held mutilated limbs and bodies as if they were just little dolls. It was like looking at sin and the most disgusting shit one could think of. He wanted to puke and purge that filthy stuff from his body but he couldn’t. He was frozen in place. ‘’This can’t be real…’’ He uttered under his breath.

He heard the thump of the front door from far away and adrenaline rushed through him. He needed to have this explained and now. He felt Robin try to grab him before he ran but it was too late. In a heartbeat, he was in the entryway, unholstering his gun. He wasn’t supposed to have it but he had a gut feeling that he would need it. He caught Wilhelm just by the door and held the weapon up to his temple.

‘’Don’t you dare move.’’ His finger was shaking on the trigger.

Wilhelm let out a shuddery gasp and raised his hands. ‘’I… I don’t understand…’’ He mustered.

‘’Shut your mouth!’’ He growled. ‘’You’re coming with me right fucking now.’’

‘’Y-Yes, of course.’’ He stammered.

Jeremy led him at gunpoint to the office. Robin smiled when he saw Wilhelm, but it turned into horror when he saw the gun. ‘’Put the fuckin’ gun down, Jeremy! This is hardly bloody necessary. Stop bein’ such a cunt and leave Wilhelm alone!’’ He roared, slamming his hands against the desk.

Jeremy ignored him. He needed answers. Now. He practically shoved Wilhelm into the desk chair, causing it to roll backward on its wheels. He handed the bloodsucker the photo. ‘’Explain this right fucking now.’’

Wilhelm glanced at it and his hands began to shake violently. ‘’Where did you find this?’’ He asked and looked up to him with watery eyes.

‘’Doesn’t matter.’’ He gestured to the gun in his hand. ‘’Explain it.’’

‘’I… I don’t know how!’’

‘’Tell me what that ghastly _thing_ is for a start!” He snapped, incredibly annoyed.

‘’Oh, for fuck’s sake, Jeremy. Cut this shit out. He doesn’t need this.’’ He growled.

‘’Stop defending him!’’ Jeremy yelled back. ‘’If he knows what’s good for him, he’ll tell me everything.’’ He pressed the gun to Wilhelm’s temple, making sure he knew exactly what would happen if he didn’t tell him what he needed to know.

Wilhelm swallowed and his adam’s apple bobbed. He sucked in a breath and looked him in the eye. ‘’T-That’s me...’’ A shaky index pointed to the monster in the photo.

His breath was stolen from him. Someone squeezed his chest so tight that the air left his lungs and it felt like his heart was being crushed. He looked to Robin, who had merely averted his gaze. He seemed unfazed by it.

It was as if he already knew.

‘’You _knew_ that?’’ He cried, furious with Robin. ‘’What the fuck! Why didn’t you tell me?! Am I not important to you anymore?’’

He said nothing, practically stating he was guilty.

‘’So _you_ killed these people?’’ He snarled, pointing to the limbs and desecrated bodies.

Wilhelm’s eyes turned watery with tears. ‘’I-I-I did… y-yes…’’

He was taken aback, he wanted to know why he could do such a thing. ‘’Why’d you do it? ‘Cause you were hungry?’’

‘’No… no… I was… _angry_.’’ Tears spilled from his eyes but Jeremy knew better. They were crocodile tears, designed to make him pity a horrible creature. ‘’I… I was so angry.’’ He said, voice quivering. ‘’Some of these…’’ He pointed to a severed hand, looking closer, it had claws on it. ‘’…were vampires…’’ He let out a choked noise. ‘’I-I killed my own kin.’’ He whimpered and tried to wipe the tears from his face to no avail, as more replaced them. ‘’They hurt me and at the time I just wanted to… to… hurt them back so they could understand what I f-felt…’’

Robin piped up. His voice was soft, frightened and yet somehow furious all in one. He bit his lip and shook his head, as if he couldn’t make up his mind. ‘’It… It doesn’t change the fact that ya killed folk, Wilhelm.’’

‘’I know it doesn’t!’’ He sobbed. ‘’B-Believe me, I carry that burden every single day of my life.’’ More and more tears gushed out. ‘’I killed humans, too. They were so innocent and I killed them as if they were nothing but _meat._ ’’ Wilhelm hid his face with his hands and his voice broke into wails and whimpers. Jeremy kicked him. Hard. He didn’t buy it. This wasn’t a man. This was a bloodthirsty _thing._

‘’I always knew you had something to hide.’’ Jeremy snapped. ‘’I knew you had it out for my fucking friend.’’

‘’I swear, I… I don’t intend to hurt Robin.’’ He sobbed.

‘’How could I trust you when you killed these fucking people? You don’t seem to care if they’re human or vampire. So how could you care about Robin?’’

‘’I do care about him!’’

Robin patted Jeremy on the shoulder, quieting him down. ‘’Wilhelm,’’ He began. His tone quivered between strong and weak as if he was torn and conflicted. His brows were creased with concern and his lips turned down in a frown. ‘’Why were you angry?’’

‘’Because…’’ Wilhelm’s hands tensed and his talons dug into his face. ‘’They hurt me and locked me away like I was some horrible monster. My own family chained me up because I wasn’t like them. I wasn’t to their standards and so they tried to… to… _change_ me!’’ He began to sob loudly. The skin on his hands looked to be bubbling, as if it were boiling. The flesh swelled up like big blisters until the skin broke, revealing a swarm of dark, glittery eyes on his hands. Jeremy had to swallow down puke. It was absolutely disgusting. Worst of all, those pearly eyes were _crying._ ‘’And… and I lied to them. I was so tired. I pretended that I was different and that their ‘treatment’ had worked.’’ Those eyes were spreading like wildfire. They were popping out from his wrists and forearms and their tears soaked his skin. ‘’And the very m-moment they let me out from that goddamned room… all I could think about was making them all suffer.’’ He grew quieter, more defeated and pitiful. ‘’And that’s the end result, r-right… _there_.’’ Shaky hands held the photograph. ‘’I don’t even remember seeing a camera. I was too far gone…’’

Robin took the photograph and looked for himself. The colour drained from his face. ‘’Fuckin’ hell…’’ He uttered under his breath, voice shivering with terror. ‘’How many more were there?’’ He asked, horrified.

‘’I lost count. I… I killed so many people.’’ Wilhelm’s neck was soon afflicted by those horrible, weeping eyes. Jeremy had to turn away. It made his stomach churn with repulsion.

‘’Why didn’t ya tell me?’’ Robin asked, hurt bleeding into his voice. ‘’I dunno ‘bout you but I think if I was intimate with someone I’d tell ‘em if I had slaughtered more than a dozen men and women!’’ That hurt exploded into fury.

Jeremy felt his chest tighten. ‘’You two are fucking intimate?!’’ He screamed and fired the gun just once into the ceiling.

Everyone recoiled at the loud bang.

Wilhelm sucked in a deep, shaky breath. ‘’I was going to tell you everything! I was… I was so scared that you would hate me again.’’

‘’Well fuckin’ done on that front because right now I hate your bloody guts.’’ Robin hissed viciously. ‘’I thought you trusted me!’’

Wilhelm’s lip quivered. ‘’You would understand if you just _knew_ what I went through!’’ He uncovered his face, revealing his face which was now a sea of dark eyes. Jeremy bit his lip. It was so gross. He couldn’t even bear to look. A drop of blood fell from his nose and another soon followed, then another and another until a small stream formed ‘’I was _tortured_ for what I was and yet you think my actions were uncalled for? I know that it was so wrong of me to kill them but with what they did, I was left with little other choice!’’

‘’Cut it out with the sob story.’’ Jeremy scolded. ‘’You’ve killed once and you’re gonna do it again. And who knows, maybe you’ve done more than just this.’’ He grabbed Wilhelm by the chin and dug his nails into those revolting little eyes. He listened to the vampire wail in pain. ‘’Robin deserves better than a piece of shit like you.’’ He squeezed until one popped.

An animalistic shriek roared from Wilhelm’s throat as blood and juices squirted onto his thumb. Wilhelm instinctually scurried away and fell pathetically on the floor with a thud. Jeremy put a heel on his back and felt a squish under his shoe. The vampire screamed in agony as he dug his heel in. ‘’Gimme a reason why I shouldn’t pop a cap in your skull right now, pally?’’

‘’Robin…’’ Was all he could muster. It was a pained wheeze.

‘’Here’s some news for you. He never chose to be here. He hates you.’’ He twisted his heel again and revelled in how he wailed.

‘’Jeremy.’’ Robin snatched the gun from him, betraying him. ‘’He’s had enough.’’

Jeremy spat on the defeated vampire and strode towards the door. ‘’Mark my fucking words, Robin.’’ He huffed. ‘’I’m gonna get you out of this shithole.’’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was a NIGHTMARE to write.  
> It was so frustrating I can't even look at it anymore.
> 
> I think I'm gonna take a bit of a break from this fic for a little while. It won't be too long but I need some time to sort out what's going to happen next. Obviously, this was a big moment and it has serious consequences. I need to recover a bit and sort everything out plot wise. I will be writing for my other stuff but I need a breather after this one. It was just... ugh. I'm so sorry about that really noticeable quality drop, I was struggling with this one.
> 
> Regardless, I hope the angst was yummy.


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Surprise! More angst!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've finally worked up the courage to come back to this.
> 
> This chapter is a little shorter than normal but I'm working on the next part right now so it shouldn't be too long and hopefully more substantial.

With shaking hands, Wilhelm poured himself a glass of water. It spilled over the top and he flinched at the feel of cold water dampening his skin and irritating the fearful eyes on his arms. He had been desperately trying to make them disappear, but with how his heart pounded and head ached, it seemed unlikely. He sipped at it and drank it all down in hopes of calming himself, but it proved to be hopeless.

His hands quivered too much, and his fingers slipped. The cup fell to the ground and shattered into countless pieces. A fresh dose of humiliation stabbed the fresh wounds of misery and shame. He bent over to pick up the shards and felt the aching wounds on his back scream in protest.

It occurred to Wilhelm that he couldn’t function like this. He needed to regenerate. He unbuttoned his shirt and shrugged it off his shoulders. He scowled at the stains all over it. Dirt, blood and all sorts of disgusting juices had tainted the material forever. His back was slick with such filth and it sent shudders down his spine whenever the breeze graced his flesh. He leant against the wall and held himself steady. He closed his eyes and internally searched for his wounds. His mind found them quickly and fixed on the broken skin. He commanded it to repair itself, to rebind into usable tissue and to wind itself back into place.

But nothing happened.

The bloodied, destroyed organs that coated his back like a sea of pearls remained. They had ceased functioning, but not melted away into useable components. He tried once more, hoping to heal the wounds that stung and burned at every movement. He tried every part of himself, even the small injuries and quickly discovered that he couldn’t heal.

At least, not without sufficient blood to fuel the regeneration process.

Embarrassingly, he needed more blood. His first instinct was to ask Robin. He knew that it was a dangerous idea. When Jeremy left, Robin had stormed off and hid himself in his room. He knew for a fact that the hunter was furious with him, and quite frankly, he deserved that anger. But he desperately needed to heal himself. He was still bleeding, and likely wouldn’t stop for some time unless he closed his wounds.

He stumbled up the stairs and knocked on Robin’s door. He did it gently and softly, as not to startle him. ‘’R-Robin?’’ He called, voice quaking.

‘’Piss off, Wilhelm.’’ The hunter grumbled.

‘’Please, Robin, I just need to speak to you for a moment.’’ He pleaded.

‘’Ya can talk to me right where ya are.’’ His voice got a touch closer.

‘’Very well…’’ Wilhelm sighed. ‘’It’s humiliating but I’m in need of some blood.’’

‘’Why?’’ The Australian huffed.

He swallowed nervously. ‘’…I’m having some difficulty regenerating and some blood in my system will help me to heal my wounds.’’ He bit his lip. ‘’I will leave you alone afterwards, I promise.’’ He sounded as desperate as he felt.

‘’Oh, don’t pull that shit.’’ Robin snapped, voice growing louder. ‘’I know ya have blood stored away. Ya jus’ want an excuse to talk to me.’’

‘’Is that such a terrible thing? I want to… I want to explain myself. I know what I have done is not right by any means but I feel that if you understood—‘’

‘’—Shut it.’’ Robin shushed him with nothing more than a harsh tone and bitter words. ‘’I’m not givin’ ya any so jus’… nick off.’’ Those words were lined with venom and the slightest hint of regret, though, it was so small that it was drowned out by the hateful sounds of potent fury.

‘’Please, Robin, I’m hurt!’’

‘’I don’t care, mate. As far as I care, you can bleed to death.’’ He growled.

‘’Y-You don’t mean that!’’ Wilhelm’s vision blurred with fresh tears. ‘’I… I know you don’t.’’

‘’For fuck’s sake, Wilhelm!’’ He yelled, slamming his fist against the wall with an audible thump. ‘’Piss off!’’

‘’I… yes… okay. I understand.’’ Wilhelm mustered, feeling the sting of those words deep in his chest. He let out a shaky exhale and made his way to the storage room. He opened the ornamental box nearby and scooped up the bag of blood resting inside. He smiled at it. It was almost nostalgic to hold the plastic bag in his hands. He had originally harvested this blood in case of an emergency, and here he was, wasting it because he had upset the only man who cared about him.

He unscrewed the cap and began to drink in the hopes a delightful feed would help him forget all about the matter at hand. However, to say that it was unpleasant was an understatement. Still blood lacked the excitement, flavour and personality that flowing blood did. It was stale, bland, and comparatively flavourless. He drank it down quickly, hoping to rid himself of it as quickly as possible. It flowed into his system ungracefully and it was cold upon entering his body. He gagged at the feeling and sat down in the nearest chair.

He relaxed and closed his eyes, allowing the newfound energy coursing through his veins to circulate to his wounds. He unwound the scarring, broken eyes and dissolved them into scrap to be recycled. The unusable pieces turned to ash and he commanded the salvageable parts to regrow into muscle, fat, skin, and hair as required. Usable aspects from the blood melded with the changing tissues to replace what had been lost and damaged. The sea of eyes that plagued his flesh melted away along with his anxieties, leaving him blissfully empty. The open wound on his chin stitched itself together, making it look as good as new. The gaping tears in his back wound themselves together and new flesh pooled into the craters like ink before solidifying. All bruises and minor cuts disappeared altogether, and he took a long, deep breath.

He opened his eyes and wished that he could be empty for just a while longer. He would do anything to just forget. He wished that he could have explained things to Robin. He wished that he didn’t have to see that ugly part of himself. Wilhelm wished things were different. He wished that he had gathered his courage and just told him. Keeping secrets had been so very cowardly.

He would do anything to enter that state of emptiness once more. Anything was better than being trapped with all of this regret.

**~***~**

Robin buried his face in his hands. He was furious, as if he was _made_ of anger. He wanted to leave this place, to walk right out of the gates and to never look back. But he knew he couldn’t just do that. It would break Wilhelm’s heart.

Maybe a broken heart was what he deserved.

Robin thought he had deserved a bit of honesty and trust, seeing as he was basically the vampire’s partner. But apparently not. Apparently, all he deserved was to be left in the dark until Wilhelm decided that he should _probably_ let him know that he was a murderer. It made him wonder what else the bloke had decided not to tell him. Was he not good enough? Did Wilhelm not trust him with anything? Was he just disposable to him? Was he just a bloody plaything?!

He kicked the wall. Hard. He felt the thin wall crumble at the force, leaving a dent behind.

Maybe he could leave. Maybe he should. As far as he was concerned, this deal between him and Wilhelm was done. He didn’t belong here anymore. His blood was no longer Wilhelm’s. It was his own now and he wasn’t willing to share it. After all, Wilhelm had spilled more than enough blood in his time.

Robin walked over to the window and peered through. He placed his hand to the glass and looked through at the night sky. It occurred to him just how much he missed sitting on the roof of his house just to look at the stars. He missed talking smack with Jeremy out in the city over a shitty cup of coffee. He missed taking long drives out to the middle of nowhere. He missed going out on walks in the mornings beyond the gates of this godforsaken manor. He missed buying his own clothes. Hell, he even missed going grocery shopping. He missed living alone. He missed the quiet and the peace. Most of all, he longed for the simplicity of home. He wanted to forget about all this fantastical, crazy bullshit. He just wanted to be a simple bloke again with a nine to fiver. He was so tired of being a vampire’s little human toy.

He wanted to be his own person again.

It was quiet outside. It would be so easy just to slip out. He could just… run on home. Sure, it’d be a long walk, but he’d be home. He’d be free. He wouldn’t have to worry about any of this shit. He could just forget about Wilhelm. He could get a simple job and resume life where he left off.

But that was nothing more than a fantasy. Wilhelm’s servants would stop him and drag him right back inside. In truth, there was no escaping this place.

**~***~**

Wilhelm knew it was a long shot, but he wanted to talk with Robin.

He couldn’t knock on the door with a plate full of breakfast in his hands, but he could certainly talk. ‘’Robin,’’ He said, feeling the weight of his name on his tongue as it rolled out of his throat. ‘’I… I brought you breakfast.’’ He chuckled nervously. ‘’I normally would ask you to eat it at the table, but we could eat in here if you would prefer.’’

‘’Ya don’t eat.’’ Robin had already worked him out.

‘’I don’t… but I would love to have a cup of tea with you, Robin.’’ He knew it was unwise to push, but he needed to make this right. He just wanted to speak with him.

‘’I don’t want it.’’ The hunter said coldly. ‘’And I don’t want to talk.’’

‘’Are you sure? If I were human, I would be just _delighted_ to eat this.’’ He gestured to the plate in his hands, even knowing that Robin couldn’t see it. A nervous tic, he supposed.

‘’Why can’t ya get it through your thick skull that I don’t want to talk to ya?’’ He groaned, audibly frustrated.

‘’I know… but you have to eat, don’t you?’’ Wilhelm prompted.

‘’For fuck’s sake...’’ Robin sighed. ‘’Let me make it bloody clear for ya. I don’t want to hear your voice and I don’t even want to see ya!’’

‘’Should I leave it by the door?’’ 

‘’I don’t want it!’’ Robin yelled. Wilhelm knew he’d pushed too much and that was his reward. He’d been screamed at for his stupidity.

‘’…I’ll put it in the fridge for you.’’ He muttered under his breath.

He did as he said he would. He placed the hunter’s breakfast in the refrigerator and closed the doors with a soft groan. With every nasty word from Robin, he could feel his regret only growing. He wanted nothing more just to storm in that little room and make it all better. An ugly, disgusting, and selfish part of himself wanted to force Robin’s forgiveness by tampering with his mind and healing the wounds before they were ready to do so on their own. That selfish aspect of himself wanted to make the hunter forget, so that he could have a do-over. He could make things right. He could tell his story and to lay it gently. He could erase those feelings of inadequacy and make Robin feel like he was his equal. He would tell him everything and it would go swimmingly. There wouldn’t be any more pain. Just beautiful honesty.

Wilhelm tensed. He couldn’t do that. He simply couldn’t. Not only was it terribly immoral, but he also didn’t belong within the intricate and delicate palace that was Robin’s mind. If he even touched it, it would crumble at his fingertips.

He had to do this the hard way, even if it hurt.

His eyes darted to Robin’s room, which loomed over him from upstairs like a door to his shame. He would try again later once his fiery temper cooled down a little. Wilhelm could take some heat, but a raging flame was far beyond his tolerance.

*******

As the hours passed, that flame failed to cool and if anything, it burned brighter.

He had offered Robin lunch, which was angrily refused. And hours later, he offered him supper, which was rejected in an even more agitated manner. He’d yelled and screamed all sorts of profanities, some of which were utterly incomprehensible to him. He had backed away gently, told him that he was sorry by instinct alone and retreated to the office in a futile attempt to hide from his own vicious thoughts.

But within that swirling flurry of pain and misery, he had found a glimmer of hope. The brilliant idea of a peace offering had emerged from the storm and presented itself clearly to him like a glowing light in the darkness. He figured that perhaps giving Robin exactly what he wanted would calm him somewhat. He wanted the truth, and he would get it.

Wilhelm scooped up the crumpled letter and reread it once more and he picked up his pen, looking to the empty page that lied in wait to be defaced.

**~***~**

When Wilhelm knocked on his door for the fourth time that day, Robin was ready to open it and smack him across the face.

‘’I have something for you, Robin.’’ Wilhelm mustered with a strange sort of confidence.

‘’Slide it under the door.’’ He got out of bed and stood by the door, waiting for whatever it was to appear underneath.

‘’I’ll only hand it to you if you come out.’’

‘’You’re bargaining with me?’’ He scoffed, feeling agitation burning his tongue.

‘’I am.’’ Wilhelm admitted.

‘’How do I know this isn’t just a bit of garbage or somethin’?’’ He tried to peep through the keyhole but saw a whole lot of nothing.

‘’I wouldn’t do that to you.’’ Wilhelm replied. ‘’This gift should actually be of great interest to you.’’ He began. ‘’It will answer all the questions you have.’’ It was tempting. ‘’There will be no more secrets between us if you just… step out of there.’’

Robin gave in and opened the door. He was surprised to see Wilhelm in such good shape. Last time he saw him, he was a bloodied and bruised pulp. Instead, the bloke was standing before him without even a scratch. In his hands, he held a folded piece of paper. His lashes fluttered and he saw his lips quivering as he outstretched his hand, offering it to him.

He smiled anxiously and his vibrant blue eyes widened in desperation. ‘’Please, can we talk?’’

Robin stepped forward, snatched the slip of paper from him and retreated back to the safety of his bedroom. The last thing he saw was Wilhelm’s short-lived hope dying before he slammed the door shut and locked it.

‘’Robin!’’ Wilhelm’s fists slammed against the door. ‘’That is simply unfair.’’

‘’I stepped out, jus’ like ya asked.’’ He grumbled. ‘’Nothin’ unfair ‘bout that.’’

‘’I was hoping you would… stay out.’’ The vampire sounded defeated. ‘’I… I want to make this right with you, Robin!’’

‘’How could ya make it bloody right? I already know! There is no makin’ it right.’’ He allowed each and every word to come out as a hateful growl. ‘’It’s always gonna be wrong, no matter how I figure it out!’’

Wilhelm sounded weak. ‘’I wish that I could have told you myself, instead of some ghastly photographs doing it for me. I should have been honest with you and I would like to explain what I did, even though it wasn’t right. I hope that perhaps my perspective could help you to… understand why I did such horrible things.’’ His voice grew softer and weaker as he went along. ‘’And perhaps in time you could forgive me for them.’’ He cleared his throat and regained some strength. ‘’So please, come out and I’ll boil the kettle and we’ll have a talk. I will explain everything to you.’’

‘’Ya jus’ want to twist the story, mate.’’ He reasoned. ‘’I already know the truth. There’s no fuckin’ point.’’

‘’Please, Robin. I… I miss you.’’ He lost his fire and his voice dropped low. ‘’I miss _us…_ ’’ He cleared his throat and grew more insistent. ‘’Can we just have a civil conversation?’’

Robin bit his lip and looked to the window. He swallowed nervously and felt his heart race in his chest. ‘’I want to leave, Wilhelm, not talk.’’

The silence that followed those words was deafening. ‘’…But you can’t leave, Robin.’’ Wilhelm said softly, voice cracking and breaking. ‘’You can’t.’’ It was a mere whisper.

‘’What’s stoppin’ me from jus’ goin’, Wilhelm?’’ He opened the door and resisted the urge to kick Wilhelm. ‘’I’m not attached to ya like a little puppy anymore. Ya can’t jus’ whistle to me and I’ll run to ya.’’ He cocked his thumb to the door.

‘’The… The servants will stop you!’’ The vampire warned, eyes glistening like miserable gemstones as they filled with tears.

‘’And then what, they’ll throw me back in here?’’ He scoffed. ‘’If that’s how it’s gonna be, then I’d have to get out by other means.’’ He glared at him and shoved Wilhelm forcefully.

It caught him by surprise and he nearly tripped over his own feet as he scurried backward. ‘’What… what do you mean by that?’’ Every word was tinged with hurt, as if they cut his tongue as he said them.

‘’Do I have to spell it out for ya?’’ Robin spoke with malice, allowing his words to cut deep. ‘’I’ll kill ya if I have to.’’

‘’No! You’re… you’re lying. You couldn’t!’’ He raised his hands defensively.

‘’Ya forget that I was a hunter once.’’ He jabbed the bloke’s chest with his index. ‘’Jus’ ‘cause ya got me to care about ya doesn’t mean I’m not goin’ to kill ya if needs be. You’re still a vampire, Wilhelm. And on top of that, you’re a killer, too.’’ He got in his face, so close that he could bite the bloke’s nose off if he wanted to.

At those words, tears spilled down his cheeks. ‘’Stop it, please.’’ He stumbled further back, keeping a safe distance from him. ‘’This isn’t like you, Robin!’’

‘’Oh, so I’m a cunt for wanting to be free, huh?’’

‘’Robin… please don’t go.’’ He begged, lips trembling. ‘’I can explain! I have a reason for why I did all of this. I promise you, I never meant to hurt you or to make you feel like I was intentionally hiding things from you. I know it seems absurd, but I have an explanation for everything I’ve done to you.’’ He whimpered. ‘’Just… let me tal—‘’ His lips froze in place and only a petrified gasp escaped him. His eyes darted downward and so did Robin’s. A shaking wheeze escaped Wilhelm and he clutched his chest. Wilhelm looked to him with a look of utter betrayal before his gaze froze over.

On his chest was a blooming flower of black blood which was expanding by the second. Another wheeze was all that escaped into the empty air before Wilhelm collapsed.

Robin stumbled back, feeling his heart pounding. He couldn’t believe it. He had no idea what could have hit him. He didn’t even have his gun on him and yet—

‘’Heya, pally.’’ A hand landed on his shoulder and he jumped. ‘’We’ve come to save ya, Robin.’’ The familiar voice sent chills down his spine.

He turned around. ‘’…Jeremy?’’ He cried out, stunned. Before him was his best mate, holding a smoking pistol. Beside him were two hunters, who acknowledged him with a nod. ‘’Ya shot him!’’ He cried, grabbing the kid by the shirt.

‘’Yeah, I’m a good shot, aren’t I?’’ He seemed chuffed with himself.

‘’What the fuck, Jeremy!’’ He screamed in his face.

‘’I thought you’d be happy! You just said that you wanted to kill him!’’ He yelled back.

‘’I didn’t bloody mean it!’’ He blurted, turning to the lifeless vampire sprawled on the floor. A pool of blood was creeping out from underneath him.

One of the hunters piped up. ‘’It’s gotten in his head. We should take him to the infirmary.’’ Their voice was cold, flat and unsympathetic.

‘’I’m fuckin’ fine! Jus’ let me help hi—‘’ Cuffs locked around his hands. ‘’What the hell! Let me go! Let me help him for the love of god!’’ He cried desperately, unable to look away from Wilhelm.

‘’Sorry. We can’t have you doing anything stupid for that bloodsucker, can we?’’ He was dragged away like a prisoner and no matter how much he struggled and squirmed, he couldn’t break free. ‘’We’re going to make you all better, alright?’’

‘’You’re gonna be free, Robin.’’ Jeremy said, looking to him with a smile. ‘’You’re gonna go home.’’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can a pureblooded vampire survive a bullet to the chest? I guess we'll find out 👀  
> Sorry for torturing Wilhelm all the time I couldn't resist such a juicy cliffhanger 
> 
> In my time away from this I've worked out what's going to happen and an actual ending so that's really exciting. I have a history of shit endings (mostly because I write as I go with little to no planning whatsoever) and with the planning I've done, hopefully I can do it right for once! Don't be sad though! It won't be for a while yet. As they say, sometimes things have to get worse before they can get better.


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I wasn't expecting this to be so dramatic tbh but it actually made me feel things so that's something.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No more angst after this I promise xx

Every breath felt like a shard of glass entering his body. It was rough going into his airways and cut up his lungs as it settled inside. On exhale, it would rise out, with the jagged edges grazing every part of him. The product of that agony was a raspy, unsteady wheeze which grew weaker and fainter on every breath. Wilhelm could feel the blood rushing out of the stark hole in his chest like thick, black tar. The world was spinning in blurry circles and he felt as if he was going to slip into unconsciousness at any second. If he stepped over that edge and entered the world off dreams, he would fall further and eventually, he would crash into the afterlife. If he allowed himself to wander into sleep, his legs would move on their own accord and stray into death. This state that narrowly bordered on life and death was the only state he could control. He had to pick his side and he would have to choose quickly.

He could feel the bullet in his chest like a boulder embedded deep in his skin. It felt as if it were enormous and indestructible within the sacred place that was his body. He had no control or authority over that terrible piece of lead, but he could manipulate his flesh. The last of the energy in his system flowed into his chest. He felt the muscle, flesh, bone and blood pause at the feel of his control flowing over them like water. He held that control, sucked in a deep, raspy breath and began to push. He made his flesh and bone convulse around the foul intruder inside of him. They shoved the bullet, pushed it and forced it to crawl towards the surface. It ached and stung to feel it sliding towards the outside world. Every modicum of flesh burned as it inched forward ever so slowly, and he felt himself screaming. He couldn’t hear it, as a world of white noise had swallowed up the sounds of life.

Wilhelm could feel his energy waning. It was fading fast, like a flame in a blizzard. It was a war between life and death. He knew it was an unfair war, as one force was far stronger than the other. He was the only one who could turn the tide. He could help that flame burn brighter. He could fuel it and make it stronger.

And yet, he wondered if it was worth it. He was so very tired. Even now, he could feel his vision fading. The cold had touched his skin and kissed the deepest parts of him. It felt as if his blood was freezing and yet, boiling hot. If he were to eliminate the steely, hard threat that had pierced his body and soul, what would he wake to? He would return to a lonely life, one without Robin. He would be alone once more. He would be back to square one. Wilhelm would come to life in a place of shame, guilt, and unimaginable misery. He would wake without friends, without the twisted, surrogate love he so cherished.

He would wake as an unlovable, foul monster.

Perhaps he deserved to die. Wilhelm was a selfish being. He had hurt so many people and now he had added another to his list of sins. He had destroyed his only chance at something authentic and beautiful with a human being. Maybe he wouldn’t regenerate. Maybe the universe would be better off without a selfish, destructive being in it. Maybe he would let that bullet consume his life and take it all away. He didn’t deserve anything. He deserved nothing. The void would take him, and it would eliminate him. He would no longer be a threat to anyone or anything. Nobody would ever be hurt by his hands again. Wilhelm would no longer be an all-consuming monster. He would just be dust in the wind, or a rotting carcass in the ground.

He could be nothing at all.

The pulsing, throbbing energy around the bullet fizzled out. The wails of white noise grew louder and the world felt as if it were slowing down until it came to a stop.

That was, until a single thought emerged from the deep, chilling abyss that threatened to swallow him whole.

_Robin._

A small epicentre of heat formed around the intrusion and his authority reformed itself like melted iron over his body. It hardened fast and he began to squeeze the pellet out. His flesh became akin to a thumping heart, that pushed and shoved the bullet out with its powerful rhythm. With every pump, he could feel the metal sliding closer and closer to the surface. It burned and his raw, sensitive nerves begged him to leave it inside, but he refused. He simply kept pushing and shoving mindlessly, determined to get it out of him no matter what. His throat felt raw as the tip of the bullet poked out of the entry point. He was so very close. He knew this final, agonising move would win the war. He merely had to get through it.

It was sucking the energy from him to endure this. Every beat took another ounce of his mirth away and each one brought him closer to that dangerous brink. He grew more desperate and each push became harder and faster until the last of it clattered onto the floor.

He let out a relieved sigh, though it came out as a wheeze. He looked down to his chest, where a gaping, reddened hole remained. Black blood was still oozing from him and he had to put a stop to it. He wasn’t yet done, it seemed. Wilhelm closed his eyes and used the last of his energy to seal the wound. He first narrowed the hole, then let the first layers of skin fill it, like cement. Next would come nerves and follicles and—

That was as far as he got. A paper-thin layer of skin was all he could regenerate. There was not nearly enough blood in his system, and he was too weak to properly heal. It plugged the wound, but it was still a liability. Anything could break that layer and he would be bleeding all over again.

The white noise died down to a faint murmur, the world stopped spinning and his vision cleared. He would survive, but he would not thrive. He would be weak and frail, like a leaf in the wind. He could be easily crushed and shattered.

Frailty did not change the fact that he was alive.

**~***~**

‘’Let me go. I’m not some bloody looney that needs treatment!’’ Robin grumbled, writhing in his restraints. ‘’Ya didn’t need to chain me up like a rabid fuckin’ dog!’’

‘’You know how it is. It’s just a formality to make sure you don’t get violent. It’s better for us to be safe than sorry, especially with vampires.’’ 

‘’I need to go back!’’ He begged.

‘’They all say that, you know.’’

Despite his protests, the hunters shoved him through the doorway. He was pushed through the main room like a prisoner about to be thrown in prison. He looked around at his former co-workers and saw their eyes dart to him in shock. He hadn’t expected to ever be back here, and yet, here he was. Even his old boss looked up from his computer just to laugh at him. If he wasn’t being pushed around by two strong men, he would have socked the bloke in the gob. He was dragged along into the medical bay and a nurse raced over the moment they saw him.

One of the hunter’s cleared their throat. ‘’He’s showing signs… And those bites need to get checked out.’’

‘’Signs of what?’’ He cried in outrage. He wasn’t sick. He didn’t need to be treated like a patient. He was healthy, sane and fine. He just needed to go home and unwind for a while. He just wanted to slump on the couch with a bowl of chips and switch off his brain to reruns.

The hunters left before he could get an answer. He couldn’t even ask Jeremy to make them let him go because the kid had gone in to write a report. It was his responsibility, seeing as he made the call to the manor.

‘’Come with me.’’ A nurse said gently. They were less forceful about leading him around like a dog.

He was shown to a bed and he reluctantly sat down, hoping to get out of this place as soon as possible.

Then came the onslaught of questions. ‘’What’s your name?’’

‘’Robin Mundy.’’ He huffed.

‘’How long were you in a vampire’s custody?’’ One questioned him while the other inspected the long trail of bites on his neck.

‘’I don’t bloody know!’’ He replied, unable to stay civil. He knew they were just doing their jobs but by god was it infuriating.

‘’And what was the nature of your relationship with this vampire?’’ The words were said flatly and coldly. It was sterile. Unassuming. Unjudgmental.

‘’It was… complicated.’’ He muttered.

‘’Were you its servant?’’ They seemed to be taking notes on a clipboard.

‘’Nah. Not at all. It was the opposite, to be honest.’’ He chuckled. ‘’He was practically servin’ _me_.’’

‘’Odd…’’ He noticed how they took a longer note. ‘’What did it want from you?’’

‘’Jus’ blood, really.’’

They noted that as well. ‘’Did this vampire intend to convert you?’’

‘’No. Never.’’

‘’Do you know if it ever tampered with your judgement, priorities, or memories?’’

‘’No. He never fucked with any of that. He made it a point not to, actually.’’ He lied through his teeth. He knew full well what happened to people the precinct suspected of being thralls. They were gunned down or euthanised as if they were vampires too.

‘’You seem to be unaffected, which is a relief.’’ They patted him on the shoulder.

‘’The bites are not infectious.’’ The other nurse said and walked away. It seemed that test was done. ‘’You’re free to go.’’

He was uncuffed and he rubbed his sore wrists. ‘’Thanks, I guess.’’ He said sarcastically.

Robin left the medical bay in a hurry, hoping to escape the ghastly white walls, quiet murmurs and plastic beds. He got halfway through the main room before his comrades stopped him.

‘’Holy hell, is that you, Robin?’’ A hunter grabbed him by the arm.

‘’Yeah, it’s me. Hello and goodbye—‘’

‘’—Ay, Lads! Robin’s back!’’

Robin froze in place as familiar faces and voices encircled him. They cheered and greeted him as if they had known him well when it was quite the opposite. He knew most of these people by face alone and he assumed it was the same for them. He’d greeted a few, had coffee with some and even gone on jobs with a handful of them but that was the extent of it. He was patted on the back, given high fives and celebrated by these people he hadn’t seen in ages. He simply couldn’t understand why. Even when he worked here, he had been a nobody. If anything, he’d been infamous for being lanky, scrawny and not much else. This lot had reckoned that he’d die on his first job but he proved them wrong over and over again, hoping the petty bets over his life would stop.

And now, it was almost like he was revered.

His first instinct was to scurry out of the crowd like a rat caught by an army of cats and so, he tried to squeeze out only to be pulled back in by none other than Jeremy.

‘’Aw, c’mon, can’t’cha stay to celebrate, pally?’’ He asked, sounding almost hurt. ‘’You’ve been in that stupid place for months. We’ve all missed you!’’

‘’What’s there to celebrate?’’ Robin retorted.

‘’We killed a big, nasty vampire, Robin, that’s what!’’ Jeremy outstretched his arms, offering a hug. He refused it. ‘’And you’re free now. Aren’t’cha?’’

‘’I need to go back to him, Jeremy.’’ He said firmly.

‘’There’s nothing to go back to, pal! Nobody can survive a bullet to the heart!’’ He reasoned.

Those words cut deeper than anything else. A part of him had been whispering in his ears and lying to him. It had told him that Wilhelm would be there when he got back, curled up with a book rather than dead on the ground. It felt silly to have guilt poisoning his conscience. He didn’t fire the gun but he felt as if he had willed it into existence somehow. It felt as if he’d killed Wilhelm, even though he knew that it wasn’t true. Maybe if he’d listened to what the bloke had to say instead of pushing him away over and over again like a right cunt, he could have made things okay before he kicked the bucket. But the vampire had died knowing that Robin hated him, that he wanted to leave him and that he wouldn’t forgive him.

He snapped out of it when he realised someone was dragging him by the hand into the company lunchroom. The mob of happy, smiling people followed. He’d take an angry mob over this. At least with an army of people wielding pitchforks and torches, he’d have an excuse to run away. But with polite, cordial men and women, he needed to find an excuse. And right now, he had nothing.

Most of the time, smiles were contagious. But here, they were quite the opposite. Seeing joyous people all around him was driving him mad. He was just about ready to keel over and bawl his eyes out and yet he was being celebrated and paraded around like a fucking show horse. It was as if he was the star of the show and invisible all at the same time. Nobody could hear his voice, nobody could see the frown on his face, the anger in his eyes or the exhaustion in his gait. He just wanted to get out and run home. He wanted to be alone. Robin needed to get away. He needed to escape. He needed to be anywhere else. He needed to hear his own thoughts and take a breather.

Robin couldn’t take the yelling, cheering and talking anymore. It was all so _loud_. He needed the silence. He needed that beautiful, healing quiet. ‘’Shut up! All of you!’’ Nobody heard him. He was ignored as if he was nothing. He would make his voice heard. He threw a nearby plate to the ground, allowing it to shatter against the black and white tile and the room fell silent. The hunters all froze in place like petrified statues. ‘’Shut your goddamned mouths!’’ He repeated himself and grew louder. ‘’I’m not celebratin’. The lot of ya have this twisted. I’m not bloody happy. I didn’t want to come back to this shithole!’’ He stormed out and heard Jeremy following him. He turned before he reached the front door. ‘’And Jeremy, I’m goin’ home alone.’’

*******

The moment Robin got home, he slammed the door shut. He took in a deep, shuddering sigh. Normally, he would take a moment to appreciate the familiar smells of home, like the smell of a recently cooked steak, dust and beer but all of them had been tarnished by the terrible stench of decay. The air was stale and every breath brought him closer to gagging. He stood before the fridge and braced himself. He opened the doors and a gush of that dead, revolting stink forced its way into his system. He kept the bile that churned in his guts down and looked to the damage.

Everything was either green or covered in a furry layer of mould. The fruit had shrivelled up into brown husks and the meat was slimy and a greyish green. He closed the doors in a hurry, hoping to seal the smell inside as well as the rotten food.

He supposed he wasn’t having dinner tonight. He didn’t really have an appetite anymore, anyway.

Robin opened the windows up to get some fresh air inside.

But with the clean air, fresh thoughts flowed in as well. They circulated from the air itself into his lungs and swirled up into his mind. Guilt, anger and a sudden self-loathing joined the mixing, bubbling pot of prickly feelings. As the current of spiky thoughts spun around and around, they dug deeper into him and cut into his calm and the miniscule joy of coming home until it was only a fiery sense of agitation. It was a primitive sort, the type that was uncontrollable. It soon took over his nerves and before he knew it, that anger took a violent form.

It seized control of his legs and he kicked the nearest object, which happened to be a coffee table. It shook on its unstable legs and tipped over. Books, pens, cups and old plates alike all spilled onto the floor. It made him feel good and so he did it to something else. He snatched the plastic clock off the wall and crushed it under his shoe. The components inside spilled out like guts and he ripped the hands off. He punched the walls, kicked at the furniture and threw whatever was unfortunate enough to be in his sight.

His phone began to ring and by instinct alone, he scooped it up. He looked to the name on screen and scowled. Jeremy was calling. A part of him wanted to pick it up, but another part was too angry to care.

Robin left it to ring.

**~***~**

Wilhelm wandered the house looking for Robin.

It was not at all an easy task, as his body was physically exhausted from forcing a bullet out of his system and his constant – and unsuccessful – attempts to regenerate. His walk had become a shamble, as if he was a walking corpse. He had to hold onto walls and furniture to stay balanced. It hurt to talk, as he’d scratched his throat by screaming.

‘’Robin?’’ He called, his voice a rasp.

The result was just the same. He received no reply.

He had explored all of the upstairs rooms, hoping to find the hunter somewhere and with every room he hobbled through, his hope faded just a little more. That hope became particularly dim when he discovered his servants – or rather, their remains – all lined up in the kitchen. Each vampire had a bullet in their temple, and they faced the ceiling, with their unseeing eyes staring through the roof. He supposed that explained why his blood still coated the floors.

He checked the more obscure rooms and even the places he had kept under lock and key. When he checked the last room, he realised that Robin was gone.

It hadn’t been a bluff after all.

He was really gone. Robin had left him. Someone had gunned him down and the hunter had left him to die. Though he was physically and mentally exhausted, it didn’t stop the tears from flowing. A selfish part of him had been hoping that Robin didn’t mean it and that somewhere, he loved him as if he were human. That hope had been so foolish. He had no reason to stay. The deal was moot because he had betrayed Robin’s trust. He didn’t deserve to have him anymore and it seemed that Robin thought so too.

Wilhelm stumbled towards the couch. He knew he wouldn’t make it to his bed. His legs would probably give out before he reached the top of the staircase. He slumped on the soft material, hoping to rest and be numb for a while.

It wasn’t long before sleep consumed all else.

*******

Wilhelm only felt marginally better in the morning. The tiredness was gone, but his wounds remained. Underneath the surface, his misery ached.

Unlike physical wounds, it was easy to pretend that it wasn’t there if he tried hard enough.

After doing his best to clean the manor, he thought to get himself something to eat. With blood in his system, he could make a return to health. He stopped in his tracks when he realised what he was doing. He was heading towards the storage room even though he had already consumed the emergency supply of blood. He so wished that he could have convinced Robin to let him feed earlier as it would save him the trouble of going out and finding himself some blood. Most of his kin would scoff at his predicament. However, he hadn’t gone out to hunt for blood in years! He was terrible when it came to stalking and biting unsuspecting prey. He was too polite, too loud, and too slow. Now that he was severely out of practice, it would be extraordinarily difficult to get himself a decent feed. It wouldn’t stop him from trying. Even his impure blooded kin could excel in it, so why couldn’t he? If anything, he had a natural advantage.

Wilhelm opened the door and felt as if he was stepping out of his tomb. Perhaps he had risen from the dead, or just maybe, the illusion of death. The sun was shining, the wind blew gently, and sluggish clouds rolled along the horizon. It was the perfect day but even still, he could feel the storm brewing inside, ready to unleash itself upon him when the high of feeding faded into nothing.

He went beyond the gates in a leisurely stroll. He whistled to the open air and smiled at strangers that passed him by. Wilhelm was hoping to find a lone human in a secluded area to feed from. He passed by restaurants, newsagents, jewellers, post offices and grocery stores in hopes of finding someone fitting that criteria. In one particular store that sold knickknacks, he noticed that the only person in there was the owner.

Wilhelm opened the door and the bell chimed to announce his presence. To say that the store was a hoarder’s nest would be an understatement. It was practically overflowing with cheap, plastic items. He was not claustrophobic, but if he were, he would have suffered a heart attack the moment he stepped inside. He browsed the overstocked shelves with a fake curiosity. He fixated his attention on something in particular, hoping that the deskperson would take notice.

He was thankful for good service, as the woman at the counter caught on quickly. ‘’Can I help you?’’

‘’Oh, yes, I was just curious about this here…’’ He didn’t even have to finish before she came over to him. ‘’Is it glass or plastic?’’ He asked, already knowing the answer.

She tapped it with her finger. ‘’Plastic, I believe.’’ She said flatly. Already, Wilhelm’s fangs were elongating and dripping with a potent relaxant. ‘’I think we have glass ones in storage if you pr—‘’ In one surprisingly swift move, he grabbed the shopkeeper, tilted her head back and bit into her throat. It was clumsy and he almost missed the mark, but his fangs just plunged into the vein. Warm, delicious blood flowed into his mouth and once the delightful flavours graced his tongue, he couldn’t stop. He kept drinking and drinking until he could feel the life at his canines draining away.

He drew the line there and released his prey.

They fell unconscious and he huffed out a shaky, excited breath, chuffed with himself. Perhaps it wasn’t as hard as he thought. Wilhelm used the fresh blood in his body to rejuvenate. The wound filled completely, and specialised tissues formed. He took a peek at where the bullet had punctured his skin and smiled upon the sight of perfectly intact, healthy skin.

He thought to stop there and go home but another customer walked through the door. Instinct took over. He strode toward them, refusing to give them even a moment to react before ripping into their throat. He did it crudely so that it would rip the skin. Wounds always delivered the blood in rapid floods and sometimes he preferred it over the typical drip feed. His tongue swept up the excess whilst his fangs drained his prey of blood. He feasted upon it like a starving man, despite having just fed.

It seemed that recovering from a fatal wound had caused him to develop quite the appetite.

He fed until his victim collapsed in an unconscious heap. Wilhelm knew better than to drink his prey dry, as it often had severe consequences. His kind were infamous and hated enough, he didn’t need to contribute to that sentiment. He wiped his mouth, licked his teeth, and stepped out of the store, bearing a wide smile.

The fact that he was alone had suddenly become irrelevant as he walked around town.

**~***~**

Robin was well aware that it was about midday.

He didn’t want to get out of bed. He loved his old cot but when he closed his eyes, he could only imagine himself in the enormous, soft bed that he’d spent so many nights in. When he stopped thinking for a while, he could fool himself into thinking that he was still in the manor, and that Wilhelm would be waiting for him at the dining table. He could almost hear the servants busy in the kitchen, the songs of happy little birds and the distant whistled tune. Every time he opened his eyes, he was disappointed. He was alone, the house was silent, and he knew for a fact that breakfast wasn’t coming until he made it. Right now, it felt as if he was too heavy to move. It was not the comfortable sort of heaviness, like waking from a sweet dream, rather, the crushing heaviness of grief. Gunshots sounded in his head, pained gasps fluttered in the wind and black blood painted his mind’s eye. The memory was just inescapable, no matter how much he tried to forget.

In his dreams he could hear the vampire begging him to listen for just a moment and every time, he wanted to hear him out, but his mouth made out the same words every time regardless of what he wanted. Anger grabbed his throat and forced a refusal out of him every single time. He had no control of himself in those nightmares. Sometimes he was the one to pull the trigger in them, sometimes he would ask Jeremy to do it and in one, he’d knifed Wilhelm over and over. The same dream had repeated itself over and over and distorted itself just slightly every time. Words changed, inflections shifted, and death changed its form. In each one, the result was just the same. He’d wake up sweating, terrified and angry.

But it didn’t stop him from trying to sleep. He needed to rest in the void, maybe forever. He wanted to be free of the vivid memories that chewed at his body and mind alike. Though, such thoughts had made it clear that he couldn’t run from them, no matter where he hid. Whether in reality or the world of dreams, they found him.

Even when the phone wailed and screamed at him to pick up, he didn’t move.

**~***~**

Wherever Wilhelm went, a trail of blood followed.

His mind had filled with an infinitely pleasant and warm fog, like a sauna of fuzziness. All thought was indistinct and unremarkable as the high of repetitive and constant feeds evaporated all sense and reason. He merely obeyed primitive and simple instinct. It was easy and numbing unlike the painful feelings of abandonment and emotional turmoil. It was unchaotic and basic to return to impulse and desire rather than reason. It was an uncomplicated cycle of wanting blood, taking it, and simply feeling _good_. He no longer had any care for what had happened to him or what would happen, he merely wanted to gorge himself until he was sick.

His sense of time had vanished entirely, and he merely wandered from place to place, searching for blood and a way to renew the pleasant dizziness that drowned out the pain. As time went on, he grew to be bolder. He would grab strangers who were relatively out in the open, in pairs or who were well built. Fear was not a factor any longer. If he caught the scent of blood that appealed to his tastes, he would pursue it and take it without a second thought. Nobody could fight back with a potent sedative running through them.

He felt like a monster, but the fact didn’t bother him. It was a quiet realisation and with the mist in his head, he barely realised it at all. He felt weightless and boundless, as if he could do whatever he wanted. Wilhelm’s one desire was blood. He liked it that way as he felt as if he was free, like he had liberated himself from sentience, responsibility, and sin. There was no sin anymore, only indulgence. Pure, delicious indulgence.

However, when he sunk his fangs into his next unfortunate victim, the exclusively pleasurable nature of his cycle distorted. As the blood flowed into his already full glands, it was rejected by his body. His system was absolutely filled with blood and couldn’t take any more. He ripped his teeth out and sprinted to the nearest alley, feeling the current flowing up into his mouth. The very moment he was hidden from view, he expelled the excess. It was violent and he was reeling from the force. At his feet was a large puddle of red blood, which would stain the bricks red for years to come. That was the price he had to pay for overindulgence. It was the force that tapped him on the shoulder and quietly asked him to stop.

He couldn’t hear the warning over his newfound glee.

Despite that adverse reaction, Wilhelm didn’t think to stop. He welcomed the purging into his cycle of gratification, as it created room for more and allowed him to continue this delightfully empty feeling. It was a minor setback in a merry-go-round of utter bliss.

**~***~**

Robin scooped his shirt up from the floor and finally got out of bed. He didn’t do so because he wanted to go out and seize the day, rather, he just wanted to go outside and lay on the grass. The last thing he wanted was the neighbours to think he was some looney that had passed out. 

Coming to think of it, he looked more hungover than anything. There were bags under his eyes, stubble flourishing on his chin and a sickliness in his face. As he slipped his shirt over his head, he remembered something.

He reached into the front pocket and pulled out the slip of paper Wilhelm had given him. He turned it over in his hands, wondering if he was ready to see it. He was terrified that it would make him feel worse and that it would destroy him, but it also promised him answers. This piece of paper held so much power. It could help him heal, or it could rip his wounds open all over again. He felt the smooth material and thought it over. He figured he at least owed it to Wilhelm to read it.

Reluctantly, he unfolded it. It crinkled and crackled as it was unfurled. He sat on his bed and began to read. Right at the top, Wilhelm had left a note in different coloured ink.

_I took the liberty of translating the letter that your friend happened to dig up. It was not pleasant for me to do so, but I figured that it might answer some of your questions._

From there, the real letter began. It appeared to be from a family member, as given away by the seal, signature and last name of the sender. He figured maybe a mother or father. However, it was difficult to tell, as it sounded oddly… _clinical._ In Robin’s mind, it sounded more like a work letter than one from loved one. It seemed angry too, as if Wilhelm was being fired. It mentioned his prolonged absence from the family, his failure to ‘’wed within the desired period’’ and to ‘’undergo treatment’’. It stated how his crimes would be forgiven if he came home and finally ‘’accepted help’’. It struck Robin as odd. He was referred to as sick and ‘’under the influence of depraved delusions of love and lust’’. The more he read, the sicker he felt. It was all so twisted. They talked of ‘’curing’’ Wilhelm and ‘’fixing’’ him. It sounded as if they were trying to repair a machine that had gone haywire rather than a living being.

The final passage stuck out to him.

_If we cannot convince you to return home, perhaps a reminder of your sins will persuade you to repent. We are of the belief that the way to absolve you from guilt is proper treatment and an ordinary, traditional life._

He flipped the paper over and discovered that it was double sided. It was in Wilhelm’s words.

_I would like to present my own side if you would care to read it._

_That letter was a miniscule glimpse into my old life. As a human being, it likely seems ridiculous and utterly incomprehensible to you. Unlike what my family perceives, I am not sick, merely different to their expectations. As you have worked out, I am partial to your kind and men in particular, both of which are seen as sin to my kin to the point where I appear like a fetishist and madman to them._

_When I was young, I attempted to keep this secret. However, such a thing is difficult when one is expected to wed a woman before they can even call themselves an adult. I protested the arrangement of my marriage from start to end and eventually, my parents discovered why. One fateful night, I was caught in an intimate position with one of our human servants. In the spirit of honesty, I influenced him at a vulnerable moment in my life. I assure you, I regret that day. It changed my life, for better and for worse._

_The moment I was discovered, I was practically disowned as their son. I was a mere pervert to them, and I was treated like one. They threw me into a prison they called ‘’treatment’’ and I suffered for weeks on end in a dark cell. I was chained, starved, and fed lies and false ideas. A fellow vampire tampered with my mind and attempted to remove what they deemed faulty. I remember spending hours alone in that dark place, just dreaming of a better life for myself. I thought of running away someday and retreating into the safe arms of humanity. I often dreamt of having a job, falling in love like humans do and simply being free. However, it never quite happened like that. The treatment was prolonged over and over again. To this day, I’m unsure how long I spent in there. I was only released once I pretended that it had been successful. I still remember how magical it was to have the blindfold taken off after weeks of blindness. Unfortunately, the first thing I saw was my future spouse. She was my final test. All I had to do was approach that foul woman, kiss her and tell her I loved her._

_Once that was done, they released me. One would think I was happy in that moment and I like to think that a part of me was. However, the vast majority was very upset to put it lightly. I saw the faces of the people who had locked me away and I lost control. And… you already know what happened next._

_I understand that what I did was not at all acceptable. But I hope that by knowing what their outdated procedures did to my mental state will help you to forgive me when the time comes. I was going to tell you about my past, but it seems that I was too hesitant. I’m not asking for pity, just the knowledge that I was broken at that time and that ironically, their methods of fixing me only caused damage to me._

_It had such an impact on me that I ran away that day. I stole everything from the safe and left. I bought the manor with the money I stole, and I began my new life as a human. One day, while I was out in town, I saw a small group of hunters take down a vampire. It gave me a terrible idea, and perhaps you will hate me for this, but I thought of how I could enact my revenge on my family. I plotted that I would fall in love with a hunter to rub their noses in the fact that their only son ran off and courted a vampire hunter instead of a genetically pure member of my own kind._

_I ended up going out and meeting humans, hoping to find someone that met my criteria. However, as a sheltered vampire trying to live amongst humans, I did a very poor job at charming my potential mates. I gave up for some time and merely studied your kind in whatever media I could get my hands on._

_It was during that time that you crashed through my window with guns blazing. And that day I knew that my luck had turned around. Trust me, you are not part of a petty revenge plot any longer, but at that moment, you were. I must admit, I was hoping to fall in love with you immediately, like they do in films and novels, but as you know, that didn’t happen. Something else happened between us. I wouldn’t call it love, nor would I call it lust. What we have is a little different, but I believe that strange in-between is as close as I will ever get. I sometimes wonder if the ability to love impulsively has been bred out of my kind. Regardless, I feel many complex and beautiful things for you. It is not the love that you could expect from a fellow human, but I hope that it’s good enough. It is for me, at the very least._

_I just hope that it’s enough for you._

At first, he was crying and then he laughed, just a little. It was an odd little love letter, that was for sure. He felt the burden of anger being lifted off his shoulders as he read it again and again. He savoured every word and admired every uniquely shaped word and letter. He felt like a bloody idiot for being so pissy with Wilhelm. He was a flawed creature, but a wonderful one. He placed the letter by the bedside and slumped against his pillow.

Before long, he was bawling his eyes out.

**~***~**

Jeremy was shovelling chips into his mouth when he got the call from his boss.

He picked it up. ‘’What’s up?’’ He said with his mouth full.

‘’I have a job for you, Jeremy.’’ He began.

‘’Spit it out then.’’ He chuckled to himself.

‘’A vampire has been spotted roaming the streets and you’re the perfect man for the job.’’

‘’Oh, cool.’’ He was about to eat another chip when a thought came up. ‘’Could I bring Robin along? I know he’s not really a hunter anymore, but I won’t tell if you don’t.’’

‘’Normally, I would refuse, but the precinct is in good spirits after seeing his return, so I suppose I will keep my mouth shut. Happy workers are productive workers, after all.’’

He hung up and snatched up the last few bits from the corners of the box. Those hidden bits were always the crunchiest. He threw the box out and went to his crappy little car. It would be just like the good old days, before everything got so depressing.

He missed driving to Robin’s house and even being in the familiar neighbourhood was enough to get him excited. He parked sloppily in the driveway and sprinted out of the car. He knocked on the door over and over again. ‘’Yo! Robin!’’ He yelled, hoping to get some sort of reply.

He heard a shuffle from inside and slow footsteps towards the door. Robin opened the door and peered out from inside like a crusty old hermit. ‘’What do ya want?’’ He groaned.

‘’Well… I was just talking to the boss on the phone and he said that he has a job for us!’’ He bounced up and down excitedly.

Robin began to close the door. ‘’I’m not a hunter anymore.’’ He said flatly.

Jeremy put his hand out to stop it. ‘’Doesn’t matter! He said you can come along.’’

‘’I don’t want to.’’

‘’C’mon, pally! It’ll be good for you to go outside.’’ He reasoned. ‘’It’s not healthy to mope around and sulk all day for like what, a week?’’

‘’It hasn’t been a week.’’ Robin grumbled.

‘’That isn’t the point.’’ He huffed. ‘’All I’m saying is that you need to go outside and get some fresh air. Trust me, it’ll help.’’ Robin averted his gaze, as if thinking about it. ‘’It’ll be just like old times, okay?’’

Robin sighed. ‘’Fine. Jus’ let me get some decent clothes on.’’

‘’Nobody is going to stop you from hunting bloodsuckers in your pj’s, Robin!’’ He chuckled.

He waited on the doorstep and tapped his feet against the pavement. He couldn’t wait.

**~***~**

Robin had only agreed to this to make Jeremy happy. He didn’t feel right about screaming at the kid and he figured that this was the best way to make up for it. Not much could hurt Jeremy, but he figured that having his best mate holler and yell at him as if he was worthless would have stung.

He didn’t like being a passenger with Jeremy. The kid was a shit driver and that was just a fact. He honked at people, sped, cut corners and tailgated others. He was thankful that it wasn’t a long drive, otherwise he’d probably end up as roadkill before he got there. In a weird way, the constant threat of crashing helped Robin to stay emotionally steady. Though he could cry if he thought too much, he felt a lot more stable than before.

They pulled up outside of a pub. For a moment, Robin wanted to go inside and drink himself into a stupor. But he knew better than that. He had a job to do and he would get it done, even if it was just a distraction. Jeremy handed him a pistol and he holstered it before opening the car door. He nearly hit his head on the roof of the vehicle on the way out. He stifled a laugh. That shitbox of a vehicle was more like a clown car than a proper car.

‘’According to the boss, this is where it was last spotted.’’ Robin looked around. The place was swarming with people and establishments. There were too many places to look and they would probably lose the vampire unless they made a quick start.

‘’Alright, I guess we need to find a lead.’’ When he turned around, the Bostonian was already one step ahead. He was asking potential witnesses a flurry of questions. He darted from person to person, talking a mile a minute. Eventually, someone piped up with something useful.

Jeremy ran to him and grinned. ‘’They said they saw a suspicious guy run down here.’’ He pointed to a secluded alley.

‘’Let’s go, then. We don’t want to lose ‘em, do we?’’ He nudged the kid.

They entered the alley and grimaced. He hadn’t missed the trash laden and mazelike alleyways of the city. The place smelled of old booze, garbage, and piss. As they searched for the menace, he stepped in something that wasn’t rotting food or rat shit. He looked down and squinted at it.

It appeared to be a pool of blood.

Jeremy stumbled back. ‘’Ew! What the fuck!’’ He cried, frantically stomping his now red shoes against the ground in a futile attempt to get rid of it. ‘’Why is there blood on the floor?’’

‘’No idea.’’ He inspected it closely. ‘’I don’t see any bodies, so either it’s been moved or—‘’ He remembered that old book that Wilhelm had given him. ‘’No, wait. Nobody got offed, I don’t think. I reckon the fella we’re lookin’ for did this.’’

‘’What? How?’’ Jeremy asked.

He stepped over the puddle. ‘’Think of someone who’s had one too many. They hurl, yeah? The same goes with vampires and blood. I read ‘bout it, actually.’’ He looked around and noticed more pools of blood. ‘’I reckon they’ve been bingin’ and purgin’ for fun.’’

‘’I’ve never seen that before…’’ Jeremy mumbled as he hopped over the pool of fresh blood. They reached some branching pathways and Jeremy made a choice. ‘’We should split up.’’ He turned to face each potential alley. ‘’Our guy could be hiding out in any one of these and we can’t risk it getting away.’’ He fixed his attention to the one he’d check out. ‘’The last thing I want is the boss on my ass.’’

‘’Fair enough.’’ He unholstered his gun. ‘’I’ll see ya when we catch ‘em, yeah?’’ He gave the kid a half-hearted wave before plunging into the claustrophobic little alley.

**~***~**

Wilhelm could smell blood, and good blood at that. It was an addictive sort of scent. It spoke of health, youth, and a rich, delicious taste. The familiar feeling of his appetite being tickled and played with was just about nostalgic. The delightful aroma drew him in and he felt himself salivating over it. None of his other prey had elicited such an intense reaction from him. Best of all, it was coming closer and it was refreshing to think that prey was coming to him this time. He was growing tired of chasing his food and to have it delivered right to him was a welcome change. He tucked himself away in the shadows, hoping to ambush his approaching victim. His fangs dripped with his signature venom as he lied in wait. He could hear footsteps now, which their owner tried to soften to no avail. It meant that they were looking for him or that they were frightened. Wilhelm could understand to a degree. A dark, foreboding alley was not the most comfortable and safe of places. It was reasonable to be a bit jumpy.

His soon to be victim was tall, thin and spindly in appearance. They wore a wide brimmed hat, and in their hands was a little pistol. Wilhelm felt the adrenaline rushing into him as he lunged. He shoved his prey against the wall and bared his fangs. The sharp tips just grazed the skin of their neck before a familiar voice startled him enough to freeze him in place. His voice was low, gruff and tinged with an unmistakable accent.

‘’Wilhelm?’’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Maybe they can stop arguing after a near death experience, huh?
> 
> everyone is ooc but i don't care anymore my fic my rules  
> I swear one day I'll crawl back into the canon universe  
> on that note I lowkey have been thinking about a Second Opinion fic of some sort 😳 If it does come into fruition, it won't happen until I've finished my other projects. I know better than to start yet another fic when I still have two to finish lol


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And the curtain falls...  
> It's very short and please forgive me, I have my reasons.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> School is back and my week was shit but hey, I could write an update at last.

It was mindboggling to see the vampire in the flesh without even a scratch. From what he could see, the bloke wasn’t bleeding to death, nor did he have a gunshot wound in his chest. He was smiling like an idiot and before he could even think, he grabbed Wilhelm and kissed him.

It started off awkward and with a hint of worry, but as time went on, they found a gentle but affectionate rhythm. He had all the control and did most of the work. Wilhelm would reciprocate in the brief pauses, though they were clumsy and cutely imperfect, he didn’t mind. He was too overwhelmed to care about anything but the simple fact that Wilhelm was alive. He loved how the vampire felt, how soft his lips were and how gentle he was, as if he was cautious about the tips of his fangs grazing him. He pushed a little further, kissing him with a hint more passion and scowled at the sudden taste of copper that had been building and intensifying until he had been forced to notice.

Robin pulled away from him as reality came crashing down. Though it was nice just to be close to Wilhelm and to feel his presence again, he could not ignore the weight on his mind that grew heavier with every second. That apparent wellness he saw before had been tarnished now that he was forced to see the little details that told him everything he didn’t want to hear. The dilated pupils, the redness on his fangs, the dreadful scent of blood on every breath, the slackness in his posture and the stupefied smile that lingered on his lips all painted a picture of a saddened, intoxicated vampire. He looked like a druggie, if not worse than that.

‘’You’re lookin’ like a right mess…’’ Robin felt as if he was stating the obvious, but he wanted to make sure the bloke was coherent enough to hear him out. ‘’Are you alright, mate?’’

He giggled at nothing at all. ‘’Oh… I don’t know, everything is a little foggy at the moment…’’ He let out a little hiccup, or maybe a snort, or both. ‘’From what I can remember, being shot and waking up to find out that your only companion deserted me sort of… I don’t know… upset me just a teensy little bit…’’ His words were spoken slowly, and the sounds seemed to drag out into a confused jumble. ‘’So, I suppose I’m just _fine_.’’ In his mind, they were probably fighting words, the sort that would bite into his very being. Those words had teeth, but they were dulled by his near drunken delivery, so they barely even hurt him. Wilhelm mumbled something in another tongue before returning to slurred English. ‘’But… it’s okay. I can’t be mad at you…’’ Wilhelm’s clawed fingers brushed his cheek. ‘’You’re not… angry at me, are you?’’

‘’No, Wilhelm. I’m not pissed anymore.’’ He sighed, exasperated. ‘’I read the letter and that sweet little thing ya wrote to me and I get why ya did what ya did. It’s not really right, but I’m bloody sick of arguin’ and I’d jus’ like to move on.’’ Wilhelm merely nuzzled against him in response. The movement was stilted and somewhat out of place, but he appreciated it, regardless. ‘’Look, I reckon that—‘’

‘’—How are you alive?!’’ Jeremy screamed from somewhere behind them with each word becoming louder as he approached. ‘’What the fuck!’’ The Bostonian ripped the vampire away from him by the hair.

‘’Ohhh… hello!’’ Wilhelm groaned, his features scrunching in pain. ‘’And as for how I’m still alive, you have regeneration to blame! Isn’t it just amazing?’’ He pointed to his chest. ‘’I swear that there is not a scratch on my body!’’ He giggled in a stupefied haze.

‘’What’s wrong with him?’’ Jeremy asked, pointing unsubtly to Wilhelm.

‘’He’s off his rocker on blood, mate.’’ He replied softly.

‘’Should we put him out of his misery?’’ Jeremy patted the gun holstered in his pocket.

Robin despised that idea more than anything else. ‘’No! Leave him the fuck alone, alright? He just needs a little while to sober up.’’

‘’Alright, let’s leave him to chill out for a minute, then. I don’t wanna deal with him.’’

‘’That’s too bad, ‘cause I was jus’ thinkin’ we could go out somewhere for a quick feed with him.’’

‘’Can we just go without him?’’

‘’Nope, he’s comin’. We’ve gotta make sure he doesn’t do anythin’ stupid.’’

‘’Fine.’’ Jeremy rolled his eyes. ‘’I know a good burger joint just down the road so we could eat there.’’

‘’Last time ya picked out a food joint I got fuckin’ food poisonin’.’’ He scoffed.

‘’This one’s legit, I promise.’’

‘’Ya said that last time as well.’’

‘’I mean it this time!’’ He cried out.

‘’Roight, but if I’m chuckin’ my guts up later, I’m blamin’ ya.’’ He huffed. ‘’Hey, Wilhelm, c’mere. We’re gonna hold hands.’’ He outstretched his hand but paused when he noticed that the vampire had been distracted by a passing moth. ‘’Wilhelm!’’ He called again, hoping to catch his attention.

Wilhelm finally turned around and smiled giddily at him. He practically skipped over and took his hand. He held it tightly and happily, like a clingy kid. ‘’Ooh, you have such rough hands!’’ He stroked the pads of his fingers with a raw, innocent curiosity.

‘’C’mon, Wilhelm, there’s more important things than my bloody hands. Like lunch, for one thing.’’

**~***~**

Even with a hot, delicious burger in his hand, Jeremy was losing his appetite faster than his house keys.

Robin and Wilhelm were giggling like schoolgirls and practically chained together. He hated how his friend’s smile never left his face, as if he was relieved that the bloodsucker had pulled some sort of magic trick and revived himself. He figured that he may as well not be there with how they ignored him. He knew that it wasn’t on purpose and that Robin was probably just starstruck, but he fucking hated feeling like a third wheel. He hated it even more when the other two wheels were going at each other like they were going to bang in the next ten minutes.

It wasn’t that extreme, but Jeremy still felt out of place. Seeing the two kiss each other and talk softly like they were keeping secrets made his skin crawl with discomfort. He decided to put a stop to it with anything possible.

‘’How long have you two been a thing?’’ He nearly facepalmed right there and then. He had blurted the first topic that came to mind and he had picked out the worst one.

Wilhelm had sobered up a lot in the time it had taken them to get their food, it seemed. ‘’Oh, not long.’’

‘’How’d it start?’’ He hated every word but at least they were actually paying attention to him now.

‘’Long story.’’ Robin spoke up. ‘’And it’s not one you want to hear.’’

‘’Oh, I see… so it’s that kind of story, huh?’’ He winked at Robin. ‘’Have you two banged yet?’’ He pointed to them both and smiled like a kid.

Wilhelm looked to Robin as if to shut him up but he talked anyway. ‘’’Course, mate.’’

‘’What was it like?’’ Robin’s proud, cocky grin was contagious.

‘’Jeremy, you have _no_ fuckin’ idea.’’ ‘’It was like wrestlin’ with a bloody kraken.’’ He winked at Wilhelm and the vampire shot him a puzzled look back. ‘’Wasn’t it, Wilhelm?’’

Something about his tone made it click and the vampire turned a bright red. ‘’Oh, oh dear. I would prefer if you didn’t discuss the more private aspects of—‘’

‘’—Hush, it’s all in good fun. The kid’s jus’ curious.’’

A silence passed between the three of them as he and Robin ate their food and sipped at their sodas. A blaring question came up and he just had to ask, even if he dreaded the answer. It wasn’t one you could chuckle at or smile at, it was a question that would solidify the future and lock it in cement. ‘’So… what’s gonna happen after this? Are you gonna go back home?’’ He directed his gaze to Robin, hoping to get the answer he wanted.

‘’That’s actually a bloody good question.’’ He looked to Wilhelm. ‘’I’m not sure if I want to go back to the manor, ‘cause look at where that got us.’’ He chuckled. Those words made Jeremy’s heart flutter with an energized hope.

‘’Our deal is moot, I suppose…’’ Wilhelm sighed.

‘’I guess I’m goin’ home th—‘’

‘’Wait! What about us?’’

‘’And what about _me_?!’’ Jeremy hissed.

‘’Look, we’ll make a new deal.’’ Robin calmed them both as if they were angry bulls. ‘’One that’s fair to the both of ya.’’ His hope became nervousness. ‘’How about this; I spend most days a week at my house so that I can go and do shit with you,’’ He patted Jeremy on the shoulder. ‘’And I spend one or two of ‘em at the manor so we can do shit and you can have somethin’ to eat.’’ Robin took in a deep, relieved breath. ‘’Sound good?’’

Jeremy and Wilhelm shot a glance to one another before mutually agreeing.

‘’Oh, and one more thing. I don’t want you two bickerin’ and fightin’ like jealous little kids anymore, alright?’’

‘’Very well.’’ Wilhelm was the first to swallow his pride.

‘’Yeah, whatever.’’ Jeremy did his best to play it off cool.

**~***~**

That tiny little deal sealed a new fate for Robin. He was no longer a vampire’s imprisoned little toy, rather, he was a free bird that could fly to his doorstep whenever the mood struck him. In fact, he could fly anywhere he liked. He frequented bars, arcades and trendy little restaurants with Jeremy and talked the night away. Sometimes he would fly to the beach, just to bask in the outdoors for a while and absorb the scenery. Of course, he would return to his humble nest from time to time to rest and recover. He even went out with Wilhelm sometimes, though the vampire preferred to go out at night, where less people were likely to see him or his fangs if they happened to be out. He still offered his blood – and sometimes a little bit more – but felt that things were so much different than they were. Jeremy and Wilhelm rarely crossed paths and Robin thought that was for the best. Slowly but surely, the kid was coming around and he would scowl a little less intensely at the mention of Wilhelm every time he saw him. He only hoped that could be a smile someday. He noticed even a change in the vampire, as he was far more knowledgeable when it came to humanity as if he had been going out and experiencing the world. The air felt free of tension and anger, rather, it was all so serene it could be a dream.

And today, he had gone out stargazing with Wilhelm.

In the dark, their hands were interlocked. Not a word was spoken between them as they admired the vast array of stars above. Each one was like a glittering freckle painting the dark face of the sky. He had a feeling that he would come to know this face well. The breeze chilled him and he cuddled up to Wilhelm to borrow some of his warmth. He buried himself in his neck and took in his musky, homely scent. He wrapped his arms around Wilhelm, pulling him closer. The quiet and closeness was filled with a pleasant gentleness and an unspoken peace. Wilhelm’s fingers toyed with locks of hair and caressed his scalp. He could feel Wilhelm’s chest rise and fall and was soon hypnotised by the rhythm of it.

As Wilhelm’s presence enveloped him like a warm blanket, he realised just how thankful he was that life had thrown him headfirst into the arms of this bizarre man. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to the end! You made it! I know, I'm surprised the end was so close. It just sort of... happened.  
> At a grand total of 128 pages, we got there 😊
> 
> I originally intended to have at least another chapter but as I was writing, I got a bit stuck as to what I would do for that. As nice as it would be to have some cute fluff and all the rest of it, in all honesty, I felt ready to close the book. Perhaps one day I will feel like writing an epilogue of sorts, but I have my doubts. I'm sorry if this was abrupt or too fast, but I wanted to end this, even if it was short and sweet. Don't get me wrong, I love this fic very much, I was just done with it if that makes sense. Perhaps that's selfish of me, but I would rather have something of decent quality than regurgitate some half-hearted fluff just to pad out the ending. My only hope that you guys are satisfied and content. 
> 
> I would like to do a reflection for this fic, as I feel it would be important and it's a trend with my other works so haha deal with my ramblings.
> 
> So first of all, I'm very happy with this fic overall. I felt that it did its purpose, in that it expanded on the universe of the original version and cleaned up the characters. I loved jumping into the bizarre and fantastical with Wilhelm and exploring a kind of bumpy relationship between a man and literal monster. It was a lot of fun to have moral ambiguities and complications. It's a lot more nuanced than the original in every regard and that version will likely never see the light of day again because it's embarrassing. This is a more than adequate replacement.
> 
> While I am kind of boasting and tooting my own horn, I can admit that this does have many faults, for instance, I feel that there's a disparity personality wise between Wilhelm at the start and at the end. Originally, he's more confident, demanding and domineering but at the end he's softer, more naive and well-intentioned. However, I like to think that the confidence could be interpreted as a front, but then again, maybe not. I felt that Robin had a few off moments as well, but stayed relatively consistent. I loved Jeremy, that's all I have to say. I feel a little guilty for all the self-indulgent garbage in there but I don't know, it was a fun experiment. Oh, and of course, everyone is out of character as mercs. I feel guilty about that but eh, I will be returning to canon soon so I can make up to it sometime in the future.
> 
> And who knows, something new might pop up soon when I find myself in need of a new vacation fic from the dark nightmare that is Courting a Serial Killer. That juicy little Second Opinion fic has not left me so it might just be a keeper 👀
> 
> I still plan to update the PWP thing from time to time but with school looming over me, I'll probably be prioritising my main projects until things cool down a little. No joke, I couldn't write at all during the week I was that bogged down with homework. It was absolutely maddening to not be able to do the thing I love. But don't worry! I only cried myself to sleep once so all is well. And I guess I'm writing now, so that's something. 
> 
> Rant aside, I love this thing to death and have to thank each and every one of you for reading it. 💖 I'm curious to hear your thoughts and criticisms alike if you have any to offer. I'm always trying to improve, so anything helps :D
> 
> I love you all! ❤

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Insatiable Fanart](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28093446) by [string_cheese](https://archiveofourown.org/users/string_cheese/pseuds/string_cheese)




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